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QEORGE ItHOWV 



And thou wouldst tread the path but seldom trod, 

The stones so sharp 1 . Art strongly shod? 

Art shod with will? Divine Illumination s mystic light 

Tremulously radiant glows. The darksome night's 

Far pierced by Ancient Wisdom's soul lance thrust. 

Thou canst not falter, on thou must 

Toil up the straight and narrow way. A diamond gleams. 

'Tis station first. Initiation s clear white beams, 

Reached, press on where glorious jeet have trod: 

Thou, in the making, art a God. 

George Brctsyn. 



OCCULT 
PSYCHOLOGY 

By GEORGE BROWN 



PUBLISHED BY 

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 

OF 
DALLAS, TEXAS 



Copyright. 1919 

by 
George Brown 



♦ 1919 



•B75 



©CI. A 53 5 »2 7 



FOREWORD 

This treatise is the result of thirty-five years' independent, careful 
study of Psychology. It pertains to both the physical and superphysical 
states of consciousness and is offered to those who wish to investigate 
Occult Science. 

The conditions under which the contents of this book were gathered 
and formulated were most favorable for personal investigation and care- 
ful observation. 

Whatever literary merit the book possesses is due to my pupil, Dr. 
Ivy M. McAnelly. May she ever be as earnest a worker in the cause of 
humanity in the future as she has been in the past. I wish to hereby 
record my appreciation of her valuable assistance. 

Also, my pupils, Dr. Belle Buchanan Burgess and Miss Josephine 
Schrott gave very helpful suggestions in the preparation of the manuscript. 

The frontispiece is inserted by request of my pupils. 

George Brown. 
Dallas, Texas, October 1, 1919. 



PSYCHOLOGY 

CHAPTER I 

Mind is the thinking principle, quality or faculty, according to termi- 
nology preferred. 

The Universal Mind functions through the Ego whose receptivity 
is proportionate to its age and advancement. 

The human mind is that part of the Universal Mind which, functioning 
through the Ego, is manifested through the physical brain, in accordance 
with the development of the physical brain. The physical brain is the 
organ of the mind upon the physical plane. 

There are just three major phases of mind — meditation, concentration, 
relaxation. Meditation is conscious activity of the thinking principle. 
Concentration is conscious stilling of the thinking principle. Relaxation 
is unconscious stilling of the thinking principle. 

Meditation is thought. A moment's consideration of this subject will 
readily enable one to comprehend that thought is activity of the thinking 
principle; therefore, any activity of the thinking principle must be thought. 

This major phase of the mind has in itself four sub-phases — intellect, 
spirituality, morality, desire. 

Meditation of itself, while denoting intelligence, is not intellect. 
Intellect is the sum of the refined, purified experiences of the highest 
order worked out in previous incarnations. Intellect mingles with and is 
the controlling element of the combinations which it forms with the other 
sub-phases of mind — spirituality, morality, desire. 

Intellect being the guiding and controlling factor of all the human 
faculties is the supreme factor. The intellect, however, can work only 
with and through such instrumentalities as it has at hand. Its combina- 
tions form what is known as intelligence. This intelligence may be broadly 
divided into indirect desire and morality. Each of these may be sub- 
divided into lower and higher, or personal and relative; the lower or per- 
sonal being those which concern the personal self, as the persons of the 
family or loved ones. 

The higher are those which are applied to relations or friends, al- 
though practically all altruistic thoughts are of the two moral classes, 
which may well be termed the personal and the relative. 

1 



o OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

Desire is of two kinds — direct and indirect. Those having reference 
solely to our physical bodies, such as sleep, hunger and thirst, are direct 
desires. Those which affect us through combinations with others are in- 
direct desires. 

The combination of intellect and indirect desire form the intelligence 
which is responsible for the development of the simpler and more personal 
forms of invention and improvement. 

Morality is a broad vast reach or expanse of the thinking principle; 
it lies between spirituality and desire. The cleavage line between spirit- 
uality and morality is plain and easily discernible, but the cleavage line 
between morality and desire is not easily discernible. Morality is so per- 
meated with indirect desire, that naught but the highest type of morality 
even approaches the cleavage line between it and spirituality. The com- 
bination between lower morality and intellect' forms the intelligence which 
governs our relationship with others — those who are not our immediate 
relatives or close friends — and forms practical altruism. In combination 
with the higher morality it produces the higher phase of altruism or phil- 
anthropy, and the final conviction of the relationship of all human beings 
— the brotherhood of man. 

There are three major phases of mind and no more. True there are 
many men of many minds. True also, there are many manifestations of 
mind in, or rather of, each man. Man manifests this one mind through 
various channels. Of course the thought current flows along the nerves, 
but the term "channels" will be used as that term will convey to the reader 
;» more definite understanding of the meaning than if the term "nerves" 
wen- used. These channels through which this mind manifests are the 
channels which have been worn and deepened through the experiences of 
;i Dumber of past incarnations. Let the reader imagine if he can, three 
large channels cutting through the brain. These three channels are 
united at the beginning, and are the channels through which the one mind 
governs the many manifestations of itself. From each of these three large 
channels branch out smaller channels leading to all parts of the brain. 

If the branches from the large channels are used a great deal and worn 
smooth and deep, and the mind current flows swiftly and evenly along these 
well worn channels, then the manifestations will be full, free and coherent. 
It' I In- channel is new, rough and unworn, it is very evident that the mani- 
festations will be feeble, uncertain, and incoherent. Now these worn and 
unworn channels are in this present stage of usefulness, simply and solely 
because of the degree of usage during previous incarnations. 

In I lie early stages of evolution the desires and selfish tendencies were 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 3 

the ones called into activity. With far greater frequency and as a natural 
consequence, the channels pertaining to these activities were the ones which 
were worn deep and smooth, thus accounting for the many apparently odd 
and uncalled for exhibitions of immoral and dishonest traits and tendencies 
displayed by well educated and; to all appearances, moral people. The 
old channels — those of the selfish tendencies — were worn deep and smooth ; 
the new channels — those of the moral and altruistic powers — were rough 
and shallow. Naturally when the stress came, the deeper channels carried 
the greater current, and the man acted accordingly. 

It must be understood by the reader that although there is great dif- 
ference in brain fiber, the activity of the brain is governed by the amount 
of blood furnished by the heart. The greater the mass of brain devoted to 
a certain faculty, and the greater its activity, the greater the amount of 
blood it demands to carry on its work. As its manifestations increase in 
strength and rapidity, the chief blood vessels grow larger and stronger; 
the nerves function with greater strength and rapidity, the branches of 
both arteries and nerves increase in number and complexity, and are more 
closely interwoven with the brain mass of this particular locality. The 
functions of this faculty will manifest more rapidly, clearly and smoothly, 
as the channels have been "worn deep and smooth by reason of previous 
repeated expression. 

The greater the number of deep, smooth channels, the greater the 
variety of capacities or faculties the man is capable of expressing. A 
related group of channels worn deep and smooth eventually produces 
genius. Take for example the group located in the region of the temple; 
there are time, tune, constructiveness, ideality, and sublimity. This 
group of fine faculties gives us the constructive, artistic, poetic, tuneful, 
and rhythmic temperaments, and when these delicate channels have been 
worn smooth and deep, the mind will manifest through them powerfully, 
clearly and rapidly. 

Usually one or two of these faculties predominates in capacity over 
the others. Thus if ideality is the largest, and the channel leading to lan- 
guage is also deep and smooth, the man will manifest the poetic powers. 
The beauty of his composition will depend upon the depth and smoothness 
of the channel of construction, the beauty of the meter upon that of time, 
the beauty of his rhythm upon that of tune, and the grandeur of his phrases 
will be determined by the channel of sublimity. If, however, the channel 
of language be small, and that of color is large, the man will become the 
artist; if constructiveness predominates, the man will be the inventor; 
if tune leads the man will be the musician. 



I OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

These faculties embrace what is known as the self perfecting group. 
It*, however, the self perfecting group as a whole is inactive, and the chan- 
nels of veneration and language large, smooth, and deep, the man will be 
a preacher, add wonder and we have the priest, add spirituality and sub- 
limity, and we have the mystic. 



CHAPTER II 
MEDITATION 

Meditation is thinking. The meditative phase is that phase in which 
the thinking principle is active. 

There is a large number of grades or sub-divisions of meditation. ' 
This great phase of mind, as is the case with the others is often very much 
misunderstood, and consequently mistaught. 

Very many so-called occult teachers who are practically ignorant of 
the laws of psychology and psychism pretend that they have both the 
ability and knowledge to teach these phases. Beware of any so-called 
teacher, or leader, who prattles glibly about powers which meditation will 
confer upon anyone who will follow his instructions in these matters. 
Pay no attention to any claims about functioning within the superphysical 
consciousness by means of meditation. It can not be done. It is abso- 
lutely Impossible to function upon any of the super-physical planes, save 
through the great phase of relaxation. 

There are four minor phases of meditation — intellect, spirituality, 
morality and desire. Intellect mingles with and is the guiding, controlling 
factor of t he ot her three minor phases. Spirituality is personal selflessness. 
Desire is personal selfishness. Morality is relative selfishness. These 
activities have reference to the physical plane only, as they coordinate 
with and control the actions of the physical body. 

Desires may be divided thus: direct desires and indirect desires. 
Forming two large phases. Direct desires are composed of those desires 
which affect us directly. Indirect desires are composed of those which 
affect us indirectly. Those which affect us directly are the purely bodily 
desires, Buch as hunger, thirst, sleep. Those which affect us in combina- 
tion wilb others are the indirect desires. Hunger, thirst and sleep, then, 
are the direct or elemental desires. When either of these direct desires re- 
mains unsatisfied, it will speedily arouse, and bring to its aid, the greater 
port ion of i he intelligence. The wanderer in the desert who learns that his 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 5 

water supply has unexpectedly become exhausted, at once proceeds to 
bring his mental power to bear upon the problem, in the effort to relieve 
the situation. If relief is not speedily secured he becomes a prey to the 
most dismal forebodings, and as the intensity of the desire increases, all 
his powers, mental and physical, are called into service. 

The three direct desires, hunger, thirst and sleep, are necessary to life, 
and must be satisfied, before any moral or spiritual progress is possible. 
We are often told that we should kill out all desires, and many fall into 
the delusion that by mental and physical starvation they can achieve 
spirituality. These three direct desires cannot be destroyed, but they 
can be controlled. Mental power alone can control them. The lower 
in the scale of evolution the weaker the controlling power of mentality, 
for not until man has risen high in the scale of evolution, does he even 
think of controlling these three elementals. 

Indirect desires are those which affect us in common with others. 
A man loves his family, but his love is nevertheless a combination of selfish 
and moral love. He wants his son to succeed, morally and honestly if 
he can, but succeed anyway. The morality, being secondary to the desire 
for success, he would rather have his son achieve a dishonest material 
success than make an honest failure. He wants his family to be strictly 
truthful in all their dealings with him. But in their dealings with others 
he will teach them to lead the parties astray by emphasizing the good 
points or qualities and by suppressing or hiding the bad points or qualities. 
They are exhibiting fine business ability by misleading and deceiving the 
other party by means of indirection and evasion. As long as it is legally 
honest, it is alright. The man will boast about it to his friends and warn 
them; "Don't fool with that boy of mine, or he will trip you. He is as 
sharp as a needle." 

The writer has known such men whose sons were ministers of the 
gospel. Did these men advise their sons as to the moral and spiritual 
welfare of the community? They did not. On the contrary, the burden 
of their advice and support was larger salaries, larger church buildings, 
larger vacations, larger traveling expenses. Strange to relate, the so- 
called men of God followed this advice. Why? 

Morality, being man-made, is enforcible by the aid of man-made laws; 
hence the prevailing custom of goodness is the moral law of that particular 
locality. 

Morality is the first great check upon desire. It grows steadily in 
strength, power and activity, and under the guidance of intellect eventually 
comes into contact with spirituality but does not merge into spirituality. 



6 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

The moral law is a law of "don'ts" — "thou shalt nots." Morality, 
in it> ctrly phase, is more of a crouching attitude of fear — fear of the 
community law, slow evolution, bringing respect for the law and a whole- 
some respect for Madame Grundy. Man begins to realize that moral law 
is a chock upon others, just as it is a check upon himself and is thus in his 
favor and in favor of others. Thus by slow degrees man reaches a high 
plane of morality because it is good for all. 

The attempt of a man to control his own desires and live according 
to what is morally and not merely legally right — to grant to his neigh- 
bor, freely and honestly, all the rights he claims for himself — is the first 
indication of moral awakening. Through many incarnations man in his 
efforts to evolve, stumbled and slipped, groping his way slowly onward and 
upward. Slowly but none the less surely he progressed through many 
lives, learning through expriences only, until, with the broadening men- 
tality due to the numberless experiences of his former lives, his brain has 
built itself up in the region of moral power. Now we are building up for 
ourselves the brain region of spiritual power. 

Spirituality is very difficult to deal with intelligently, as mere in- 
telligence cannot comprehend it. 

Spirituality, although very difficult to analyze or understand is yet 
extremely simple to attain, for all that is necessary to achieve spiritual- 
ity is to do what is right; not simply to think what is right, but to do 
what is right, in all cases and all circumstances. Then only, has one 
achieved spirituality. 

" Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you," is the 
basis of all moral law. This is the outer teaching of all great religious 
teachers, such as Hermes, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed. This outer 
teaching is for the less evolved — for those who are unable to comprehend the 
inner teaching the higher teaching, which is: "Do unto others that which 
i- right." There is a simple sublimity in doing that which is right. 



CHAPTER III 

CONCENTRATION 

( oncentration, one <>f the three major phases of mind, is very often 
considered as being the leading phase of the mind. In reality its chief 
function consists in drawing together, <>r bringing to a focus, the vibrations 
uf medil at ive act ivit v. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 7 

Concentration does not control., but guides or confines within the de- 
sired limits the meditative or thinking vibrations of a minor phase. 

Concentration is far easier to understand than either meditation or 
relaxation. Concentration is very often confused with will power. This 
error has caused incalculable mischief. Concentration is a personal force 
or attribute, while will power is an impersonal force and has no attributes 
and is but poorly comprehended, even by our best of psychologists and 
occultists. 

People who are prone to claim for themselves, supreme knowledge of 
the function of the mind, are the chief offenders in this unfortunate busi- 
ness of claiming wonderful powers for this phase of mind. We can forgive 
a layman who applies this term loosely, but not the man who claims a 
knowledge of the function of the mind. 

Concentration begins when a man commences to draw the vibrations 
of the meditative phase together and to direct them toward an object, or 
gathers them up and fixes them on a certain definite subject. This applies 
to the average man and not to the evolved occultist who has developed to 
a high degree the three phases of the mind. The ordinary man has the 
power of concentration fairly well developed along the line of his strongest 
and most active faculties, precisely as the evolved occultist has the power 
of concentration developed along the line of his strongest and most active 
faculties. There is this difference, however, the occultist knows what the 
phase of concentration is, and knows also what his powers and limitations 
are in respect to this phase of mind. 

The ordinary man walking along the street will usually meditate in 
a heedless manner. His mind will wander in an aimless way from 
one to another of a dozen different objects. They are usually ordi- 
nary things with which he is familiar in every day life — wagons, horses, 
street cars, buildings, people, the problems of life, familiar scenes of both 
still and active life. This gives but scant degree of the concentrative 
power until something occurs to attract the concentrative phase. An 
accident, a brawl, or an extremely odd or attractively arranged show 
window may catch his eye, and instantly the mind waves or vibrations 
draw together and assume a definite degree of cohesion. Thus a fair 
degree of concentration is effected and held for a few seconds, then the 
concentrative phase relaxes. 

The man has seen something that appeals to his desires or sensibilities ; 
he has seen something which he thinks his family or some member of it 
would like to possess, or something which he or they lack, or something 
about which a friend or acquaintance has spoken to him. At once 



s OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

the concentrative mood is gone and the man is thinking again, per- 
haps idly wandering or letting his mind drift along in its accustomed 
channels. 

Let us suppose that the man is an office man, has arrived at the office 
and is prepared to enter upon his daily duties. Now will begin, if the 
man is in his normal condition, the first evidence of sustained concentra- 
tion. He must keep his mind upon his task if he is to perform his duties 
acceptably. It' all his affairs are in good order, he can attain a good degree 
of concentration. He will be able to hold his mind steadily upon his 
books or the enterprise which he is directing. 

A physician, to be successful in his chosen profession, must have the 
power of concentration fairly well developed. If he is a successful prac- 
titioner he must be able to hold all other thoughts in abeyance while he 
takes the patient's pulse or listens to the action of the patient's heart. 
To do this successfully requires a great deal of the concentrative phase of 
mind. 

The Architect must be very careful. He knows that the slightest 
mistake might mean the injury or death of one or more persons. He 
must concentrate with all his power upon his plans. This is a very good 
phase of concentration. 

The mechanic, especially such as work among delicate or dangerous 
machinery, usually exhibits a large endowment of this phase. The watch- 
maker or repairer must of necessity attain great power of concentration. 
Makers of optical instruments must also have good control of this fac- 
ulty. The slightest error by a manufacturer of high explosives may 
cause the death of all his employees, himself and the destruction of his 
factory. 

The American Indian has this phase of mind well developed. In 
fact, practically all savages and barbarous people have this phase as 
;i necessity for people of crude or inferior civilization. The American 
Indian call lie motionless for hours while awaiting the arrival of the fowl 
or animal which he desires to capture, or in order to evade an enemy. 
He exhibits the ^wuv strong development of this phase when he is on 

the warpath, in his maneuvers and ambuscades. 'The Negro tribes of 
Unci exhibit similar development of this phase. Accounts written by 
travelers and explorers tell of the very large endowment manifested by 
'I"' medicine men. and especially the rain makers, who appear, from all 
accounts, to have a most remarkable development of this phase of mind. 
I he Bast Indians or Hindus sometimes have this phase of mind well 
loped. They have succeeded in controlling the mind vibrations along 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 9 

certain lines very successfully. There are instances where one has been 
able to keep an arm extended above his head until the arm has been vir- 
tually paralyzed and remains set and rigid in that position. This, how- 
ever, is as much an exhibition of will power as it is of concentration. 

Concentration as applied by all students of the occult who have a 
clear understanding of what it really is, is used as a mind discipline, in 
order to guide the thinking or meditative phase of the mind. This medita- 
tion, by the use of concentration, guides itself along the line previously 
determined by itself, for itself. If there were no guidance of the thinking 
phase of the mind by means of the concentrative phase, there would be 
no sustained power of thinking. 

Complete concrete concentration would then consist in bringing the 
mind to a point or focus, say for example, upon the head of a pin. In 
complete concentration, nothing would be seen, but the head of the pin. 
All other thoughts would be held in check — nothing in the mind but the 
head of the pin. There are but few, however, who have developed this 
phase of mind to such a degree of intensity. 

Abstract concentration is something that we frequently hear spoken 
of, and read a great deal about, but not one of those who speak or write 
about it give an illustration or even an idea of it. 

For example, take the Solar Logos. No one can conceive in the slight- 
est degree, the appearance of the Solar Logos and truthfully affirm that 
the visualization is correct. Therefore dismissing from the mind all con- 
crete visualization of what the appearance of the Logos might be, bring 
the forces of the mind to a point — that point being the Logos. Remember 
that under no circumstances can a thought of the appearance of the Logos 
be allowed to interfere with the process of abstract concentration upon the 
Logos. Remember that abstract concentration is concentration upon 
no thing. 

This is an example of the mind that is all but impossible; for very 
few have either the will or the patience, and fewer still have sufficiently 
evolved these two attributes of mind — will and patience — to practise it, yet 
they are absolutely indispensable for the practice of abstract concentration. 



CONCRETE CONCENTRATION 

For the average person, however ordinary, concrete concentration is 
a very satisfactory exercise of the concentrative phase of the mind. A very 
successful method of achieving the development of this phase of the mind 
is given below. Please remember, however, that it is not advisable for 



in OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

every one who wishes to develop the faculty of concentration, to follow 
this method in a rigid and unthinking manner. Because some have been 
successful with this method is no reason why others should follow blindly. 
for as persons differ physically, so they also differ mentally. Each one 
should find the easiesl and most convenient method consistent with the 
objective to be gained. 

Adjust yourself in an easy, harmonious position; do not place any 
undue strain upon any muscle of the body; then compose the mind in a 
(|uiet, orderly manner. Always select a large object with which to begin 
and gradually decrease the size of the object. Of course the object must 
always be in plain view. Allow all other thoughts to escape from the 
mind, keep the gaze fixed on the object but do not glare or frown at it 
with the apparent idea that glaring or frowning is concentration. Having 
allowed all other thoughts, save the one in which the object is visualized, to 
escape, hold the gaze steadily upon the object until the surrounding objects 
become merged into an unobtrusive background, and the concentrative 
object itself remains clear and sharp in outline both to the eye and to the 
mind. 

Now coiner the most difficult part, that of keeping this state of mind. 
which is that of keeping the object in precisely the same position to the 
eye and mind. This is accomplished by keeping this state of mind for 
;i few seconds only, at the beginning, then gradually increasing the time 
until you can achieve good concentration for about two minutes. After 
this, begin afresh, and concentrate until all surrounding objects fade away 
completely, and only the concent rat ive object remains clear and distinct. 
Gradually increase the lime of the holding period until it is at least five 
minutes. With this you have achieved practical concrete concentration. 



CONCENTRATIVE VISUALIZATION 

Concentrative visualization is the next step. Remember that this 
step is not advised unless you are going to pursue this subject to either one 

of Ms ends. These ends are as far apart as the poles, and you must decide 

which "iic of them you are going to achieve. One leads to abstract con- 
centration, which has already been mentioned, as in the case of the mys- 
tlCS. The other leads to concentrative visualization, some times conducive 

• " ■< state "i semi clairvoyance, and is frequently mistaken for real clair- 
ance. The reader should always remember that this phase at its best. 
ithinfl but concentrative \ isualization and is really as directly opposite 

!<• clairvoyance as is abstract concentration. The method o^i developing 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 11 

concentrative visualization is given below. Read the instructions which 
follow, very carefully, before you decide which path you will tread, for 
you can not pursue both. 

Seat yourself comfortably; a large, comfortable arm chair is excellent 
for this purpose. Close your eyes and bring up before your mind's eye an 
article of furniture that is in another room. Select for your earlier efforts, 
something large and plain and with which you are perfectly familiar. 
Bring this up slowly and carefully until you have visualized it plainly. 
Keep it constantly before the mind's eye and examine it carefully for marks 
or peculiarities of any kind. After an earnest, painstaking effort of this 
kind, you will be surprised at the minuteness with which you can inspect and 
examine an article. Then turn the article around — this can be done 
with practice — and as it is revolving in the mind's eye, scan it closely, until 
it has been revolved and examined on all sides. When the visualization 
is approximately correct select a smaller and more ornate object. Keep 
practising this method, until you can without any difficulty call up and 
visualize any article with which you are familiar. 

Then visualize an article that you have seen only a few times. Do 
this slowly and carefully. Later, examine the article and see how nearly 
correct your visualization has been. Practise carefully, and in course of 
time you will be astonished at the marvelous accuracy with which you 
can reproduce an article which you have seen but once. 

Having learned to visualize inanimate objects, proceed to visualize 
animate objects, such as a dog, cat, horse, cow, chicken, or any fowl or 
animal. Next try human beings; make them walk, run, laugh, cry, talk, 
and show all the varied emotions exhibited by mankind. This is a very 
useful, and in its higher manifestations, a truly beautiful exercise of the 
mind. Writers and orators noted for the descriptive beauty of their 
phrases, have this faculty largely developed. Masters in sculpture and 
painting surpass in this phase of mind. 



CHAPTER IV 
RELAXATION 

The greatest misconceptions that exist in Occult Psychology are those 
regarding relaxation. Some students regard the phase of relaxation as 
being the same as that of concentration. There is, however, all the differ- 
ence in psychology between these two phases, as their functions are directly 



l> OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

opposed to each other. A thorough knowledge of this phase and the ability 
to practise it are absolutely necessary before functioning upon the super- 
physical planes can be considered either safe or reliable. 

Normal relaxation is sleep. Sleep being considered one of the three 
direct desires, and one of the two natural conditions of physical con- 
sciousness has led to numerous arguments, ranging from the theory of 
sleep being a state of physical consciousness, semi-consciousness, dulled 
consciousness, down to the wonderful sub-consciousness wherein we func- 
tion in that marvelous sub-conscious mind, whatever that may be. Sleep 
is normal relaxation. Clairvoyance is abnormal relaxation. Sleep is the 
normal or natural condition wherein the consciousness is upon the Astral 
plane, while the body is restoring its disturbed equilibrium. 

Relaxation is unconscious stilling of the thinking principle. This 
produces sleep either normal or abnormal. Normal sleep, that is the sleep 
or slumber of the average person, interests but very few. Abnormal sleep, 
which is trance or functioning upon the super-physical planes, has been 
at all times the most bewildering phase of mind to both the purely physical 
and to the occult student. As a result, this phase of mind has been jum- 
bled into an incomprehensible mass, by many so-called professors of 
physical psychology and the so-called teachers of a so-called Occultism. 



CHAPTER V 
THE HUMAN MTND 
Mind is the universal or ruling principle. The human mind is that 
which takes COgnizanceof that which disturbs and whose disturbing vibra- 
tion- find b receiver attuned to themselves. This attunement or recepti- 
vity is the order of development achieved by the experiences of the past. 
The greater and more diversified the experiences of the past, the greater 
and more varied the faculties of the functioning mind. The functioning 
mind, however, musl not be confused with the Universal mind. The 

functioning mind is that part of the Universal mind which functions 
through the physical brain, and is limited by the capacity or limitations 
of the physical brain. 

Theories concerning the mind are innumerable, the facts are few. 
One well known cull claims that the mind of each person is the Universal 

"""•k and that each person can make his mind the Universal mind by 

th.- exercise <»f will power, thus making human will power superior to the 
l Universal mind 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 13 

Another cult ignores will power entirely and claims that the Universal 
mind is the Universal mind (weird and wonderful logic). Another cult 
claims that the mind and will are independent and interchangeable and 
that sometimes the mind and sometimes the will rules. 

Each cult has its so-called divinely inspired leaders, who claim to be the 
especial favorites of so-called masters, who reside in caves, hollow trees, 
holes in the ground, and numerous likewise desirable and delectable hiding 
places. Each one of these divinely inspired, semi-detached leaders has 
from one to six masters who wait upon him and tell him all the wonderful 
things that are going to happen hundreds of years hence. That is a 
peculiarity of such masters — they are long range masters. They know 
all about the five hundred years hence, to a gnat's bristle, but they are 
absolutely unable to give any information regarding the present or near 
future. These masters are infallible also; these wonderful leaders say so, 
if you don't believe it, ask them. They will then tell you that these 
wonderful masters told them all about it, but made them promise not to 
tell anyone else. The mush-head followers believe this disgusting false- 
hood. 

With but very few exceptions, such as Swedenborg, Cagliostro, Davis 
and Blavatsky, all of these self -lauded, self -heralded leaders were and are 
absolutely ignorant of psychology, and as a natural consequence were and 
are failures in psychism. 

One leader claims that she can force her physical consciousness up 
into her spiritual consciousness and function with her physical conscious- 
ness while in her spiritual consciousness. Strange to say this doctrine has 
found some followers who practise daily the folly of trying to force a lower 
consciousness up into a higher consciousness. 

All knowledge pertaining to this planet can be acquired by those who 
have evolved sufficiently while upon this planet. The planetary mind, 
as distinguished from the solar mind, would appear to be of a coarser grade. 
This, of course, is merely surmising upon the basic principle of the more 
highly evolved being of finer substance. The planetary mind is, of course, 
the mind of the Planetary Logos. 

It is natural for a psychic to believe that he can function upon much 
higher planes of consciousness than any other psychic. This is a little 
piece of conceit that deceives only those who are entirely ignorant of 
psychology in its most elementary form. A psychic who is of moral 
strength and of altruistic temperament will naturally see that which ap- 
peals to him, for the superphysical consciousness is the model whereby the 
physical consciousness is formed. Note this well: The mind does not 



U OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

develop according to the personality. The personality develops according 
to the mind. 

A lew minutes thought on the subject of genius will lead any reason- 
aide person to the conclusion that a genius, no matter in what line of en- 
deavor, did not originate his own genius. His genius was present awaiting 
the call. The mind of the ordinary person receives its stimulus from 
without. The mind of the genius receives its stimulus from within. The 
mind of the ordinary person seldom loses thought of self; the mind of the 
genius seldom has thoughts of self. There lies the difference in the minds— 
(he average person has an unevolved, the genius has an evolved mind. 

Genius manifests its peculiar tendencies in every race and clime. 
Every tribe has its poetic and artistic genius. Every nation has them. 
The highly evolved genius does not rank or class with his lowly brothers. 
hut nevertheless the lowly genius is a genius just as surely as his more 
highly developed brother. 

The brain, being the organ of the mind, is formed for the manifestation 
of the mind. Everything must co-ordinate. The highly evolved mind 
cannot function through a coarse undeveloped brain. As the mind de- 
velops, it constantly demands for its medium of manifestation, a steadily 
increasing fineness of texture of the brain substance. The development of 
mind precedes the development of the body. By the term mind, as herein 
used, is meant the human mind — that mind which contacts the physical 
world. 

Thai there is another super or transcendent mind is well known to 
.ill psychics. This super or transcendent mind is what is known as the 
I uivcrsal mind. The Universal mind furnishes the stimulus for the human 
mind, just as the human mind furnishes the stimulus for the physical brain. 



CHAPTER VI 

STATES OK CONSCIOUSNESS 

Consciousness always resides in the last or resident body. Before 

death, it resides in the physical body. After death it resides in the Astral 

Body, After the death of the Astral Body,i1 resides in theMental Body. 

U'trr the death <»f the Mental Body, it resides in the Causal or Soul Body. 
( onsciousnesfl cannol COntacI or function in a lower body than the res- 
idual body but can contact or function in the bodies higher than the 
resident bods . 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 15 



Every normal person can function in the astral, mental or spiritual 
consciousness. Those of psychic genius have a vast advantage over 
those in whom the psychic faculty has not been well evolved, as they can 
function far more readily and with better results than the unevolved who 
would labor strenuously and achieve but insignificant results. 

It is impossible for anyone to function in more than one state of con- 
sciousness at the same time. When a man is functioning within the 
physical consciousness he is unconscious of either astral, mental, or spiritual 
consciousness. When he is functioning within the astral consciousness he 
is unconscious of the mental, spiritual and physical states of conscious- 
ness. When he is functioning within the mental consciousness he is un- 
conscious of the spiritual, astral or physical states of consciousness. When 
he is functioning within the spiritual consciousness he is unconscious of 
the mental, astral or physical states of consciousness. 

Time has often been described as a succession of events, con- 
sciousness as a knowledge of a succession of events. This is correct as 
regards the physical consciousness. When the so called five senses are 
all in good condition — good sight, good hearing, good touch, good smell, 
good taste— we have complete physical consciousness. These five senses 
make up what is known as the physical consciousness. 

Naturally it follows that a man who is deficient in one or more of these 
five senses cannot have full physical consciousness. A man may be 
practically devoid of touch, taste, and smell and yet have consciousness 
according to the usually accepted meaning, namely: that consciousness 
is a knowledge of a succession of events. Sight and hearing would 
provide him with a practically full comprehension or knowledge of a suc- 
cession of events. If we take a man who is deficient in the senses of hear- 
ing, touch, taste and smell, still this man would have a practically complete 
knowledge of the succession of events, through the sense of sight alone. 
Sight, therefore, seems to be ninety-six percent of the sense . 

Sight upon the physical plane depends upon the vibrations of the light 
waves. These light waves travel at the rate of one hundred and ninety 
thousand miles per second. The eye is the only part of the physical body 
that is attuned to and capable of receiving these vibrations and in turn 
, transmits them to the brain which separates and classifies them. Sound 
travels at the rate of one mile in three seconds. Sound waves are air 
waves, and being of slow r heavy vibration have the ears as their special 
organ. However, other parts of the physical body can feel sound waves. 



16 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

The influence of the ego upon the physical body is practically nil. 
It cannot alter the size nor shape of its physical body. It has practically 
no control over the outward physical, and but very little over the inward 
physical body. 

The undeveloped or coarser consciousness is conscious of all forms of 
physical vibration or contacts, but responds more readily to those of 
coarser variety. A highly evolved consciousness is conscious of all forms 
of physical vibrations or contacts, but responds more readily to those of 
finer variety. 

All mankind, according to its development, falls naturally into grades 
or classes between these extremes. 

The physical consciousness receives the physical impacts or vibra- 
tions. Each impact or vibration is composed of physical, astral, mental 
and spiritual vibrations. The physical vibrations affect only the physical 
consciousness. The astral vibrations affect only the astral consciousness. 
The mental vibrations affect only the mental consciousness. The spiritual 
vibrations affect only the spiritual consciousness. 

The physical vibrations do not pass through the physical conscious- 
ness, but prepare the physical consciousness for the return vibrations from 
the superphysical planes. The astral vibrations do not pass through the 
astral body but prepare the astral body for the return vibrations from the 
higher planes. The mental vibrations do not pass through the mental 
body, but remain and prepare the mental body for the return vibrations 
from the spiritual body. The spiritual vibrations pass unhindered through 
the physical, astral and mental consciousness. The Ego decides what is 
to be done and the spiritual vibrations return through the mental con- 
sciousness, the astral consciousness and the physical consciousness, freeing 
the various vibrations. for action, or dispersing them and thereby causing 
inaction. 

\- there can be but one set of vibrations occupying the nerves at one 
tunc. s<> there can be but one thought at a time. No one can perform two 
different actions at the same lime with the same apparatus. When action 
on the physical plane is deferred, the indecision is caused by the ego re- 
ceiving ;i series of different vibratory waves in rapid succession, thus 
causing an incoherent, confusing return flow of vibrations to his various 
bodies. These waves responding to the physical vibrations will vary so 

greatly al times as to be the direct Opposite of each other, until the ego. 

takes firm grasp upon the situation and directs the bodies to positive 
action, or inaction. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 17 



The laws governing the astral plane are but very imperfectly under- 
stood, even by the most highly developed clairvoyants. 

Many very fanciful ideas and theories have been advanced by clair- 
voyants and others who have not clairvoyant power, in their attempts to 
explain what they mean by the term astral plane. The astral plane is 
usually pictured by the unevolved and undeveloped clairvoyant, as liter- 
ally a place of horror. 

The highly evolved clairvoyant, however, knows it as it really is — a 
state of consciousness as far superior to the physical plane as the sun is 
superior to the moon. In the astral consciousness, there is not the swelter- 
ing heat of summer nor the torturing cold of winter. There is not the glare 
of the noonday sun nor the dreary darkness of the night. Instead, there 
is the bright, yet soft, mellow light of that place of consciousness, — the 
home of what St. Paul termed: "the soul," which all evolved occultists 
know as the astral body. 

Unevolved clairvoyants who are perhaps unable or unwilling to func- 
tion in the higher and more refined atmosphere of the spiritual inhabitants 
seek to mingle with the lower, grosser members of the astral family, just 
as they preferred to mingle with the grosser members of the physical plane 
family. In the astral consciousness, as in the physical consciousness, we 
associate with those with whom we are qualified by our moral, mental and 
spiritual development to associate. 

Ninety per cent of clairvoyants are symbolical clairvoyants; that is, 
friends or relatives who are living within the astral consciousness make 
known to them by means of suitable symbols, the meaning that they wish 
to convey to the clairvoyant. Perhaps about eight per cent of the re- 
mainder are partially independent clairvoyants and are sufficiently de- 
veloped to converse in varying degrees of length and clearness of understand- 
ing, and can function within the astral consciousness in a very satisfactory 
manner. The remaining two per cent are independent clairvoyants. 
These have evolved or developed the faculty of functioning within the 
astral consciousness independent of help from the astral inhabitants. 
These clairvoyants are adepts or initiates. The more highly evolved the 
clairvoyant is, the more careful he is about disclosing his actual knowledge. 

Those who are properly qualified to function on the astral plane know 
it as the intellectual plane. To those who can properly function within 
the astral consciousness, nothing that pertains to the physical body or its 
surroundings can remain unknown. While the properly developed Oc- 



18 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

cultist is functioning within the astral consciousness, which is the next 
higher consciousness above the physical, the entire physical plane is sub- 
ject to nis review. 

When a clairvoyant is functioning within the astral consciousness, the 
appearance of the astral is similar to the appearance of bodily figures in a 
dream. 

There is a vast difference between the physical and the astral con- 
sciousness. Astrals are sometimes said to see with every part of their 
bodies. This widely accepted belief is evidently based upon a misunder- 
standing of the law of vibration. As the astrals are composed of the 
shifting matter of the astral plane, it is inconceivable that each particle 
has a complete system of optics, and a complete nervous system, including 
a brain. If this were the case, there would be no central nor concentrated 
portion for the thoughts or vibrations to function through. How could 
it be possible for untold millions of particles, each having a complete nerv- 
ous system, to function independently, and yet as one, without even the 
slightest semblance of an authorized or central portion to direct action? 
This seems incredible, especially as we know that each particular astral is 
composed of a number of different grades of astral matter and as the 
coarser grades would want to act as they desired, the result can better be 
imagined than described. 

The theory of each particle of the astral body having sight, is no 
doubt due to the fact that the astral particles constantly shift their posi- 
tion within the radius of the astral body. Were each particle of the astral 
body to see, it would necessitate an optical apparatus for each particle. 
and each particle with its apparatus would have to be in constant com- 
munication with the astral brain. As the astral brain is itself constantly 
shitting and changing its particles it is evident that this method of com- 
munication would at all limes be seriously hampered by constant shifting 
and changing of the astral particles. Woeful confusion, subsequent upon 
the entanglement of untold millions of communicating systems of optical 
ncr\ es, would result . 

The human eye depends upon or is responsive to the vibrations of 
light In t he as1 ral consciousness there is neither the condition of day nor 
«>f night. Consequently the simile of sight does not hold good. What 
writers on this subject mean, perhaps, is that t he astral brain being loosely 
Connected and with no hard en\ elope such as the skull which encloses the 

physical brain can and does receive vibrations from all directions. The 

abilitj of the astral brain to thus receive and pass on to the ego the vibra- 
tions which impact It, irrespective of the direction from whence they come, 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 19 

is no doubt the reason for the assertion that an astral can see with every 
part of his body. 

Astrals, as every clairvoyant knows, usually look at those to whom 
they may be speaking, just as human beings do. Their eyes open and 
close, twinkle with delight, darken with sorrow and sparkle with intelli- 
gence. That astrals see with every portion of their bodies is based upon 
insufficient observation or inability to reason out what they have seen, 
heard and read. 

Astrals do not speak as do physical beings, because in the attenuated 
atmosphere of the astral plane, sound waves, such as we know on the 
physical plane, are impossible. Therefore the sound waves from the 
vocal apparatus of a physical being are unknown to the astral consciousness. 
As far as we know there is no sound on the Astral Plane. 

Astrals cannot be said to Hear as physicals hear, nor does a clair- 
voyant when conversing with astrals, hear with his physical ears. What 
takes place is really telepathy- — that wfaich is called thought transference — 
mind reading. Vibrations of one astral brain are received and accurately 
comprehended by another astral brain. 

The astral body is not a body of feeling as is the physical body, nor is 
it one of hearing, taste, nor smell, as is the physical body. The astral 
body is not a capable body as is the physical body. It has no determining 
power either over itself or others. It can not commit murder nor can it 
injure another astral body or itself, in the slightest degree. 

Astral matter is very responsive to the will of the astral, and will 
readily assume any shape that is desired by the astral. Astral scenes, 
landscapes, marine views, buildings, machinery and animals can be seen, 
in replica of those that have been seen upon the physical plane, or at 
the will of the astral any number of queer shapes or forms, animate or 
inanimate, can be almost instantly created. 

If the clairvoyant be a seer of but ordinary development, an astral 
can instantly disappear from the sight of the clairvoyant, with whom he 
was engaged in conversation but an instant before and remain unseen. 
If the clairvoyant is highly developed, the astral can be kept in view. 

Unlike the physical body, the astral body is, to a large degree, under 
control of the ego, excepting the natural decay or disintegration of the 
astral body, and even the disintegration in the case of a highly evolved 
ego, is to a great extent controlled by the ego. The astral body, being to a 
large extent under control of the ego, the ego can change the features or 
appearance of his astral body with this one exception: the ego can not 
change the eyes either in color or expression. All other features or parts 



20 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

of the astral body can be changed temporarily, but as soon as the tension 
of the ego's thought is relaxed, the astral resumes its normal form. 

The astral body is simply one of the two arches of the bridge which 
connects the ego with the physical body. While the physical brain is 
awake ;m<l active, the astral body cannot be said to see, as it is then only 
the roadway over which the vibrations from the physical brain to the ego. 
and the return vibrations from the ego to the physical brain, travel. 



MENTAL 

The mental body can scarcely be called a body. It is rather an 
atmosphere which surrounds the soul covering, otherwise known as the 
causal body. The particles of the mental body, like the particles of the 
astral body, are in constant motion, and function constantly within the 
physical brain. 

The functions of the mental body are not as clearly understood as we 
might wish. That all spiritual vibrations from the physical brain pass 
through the mental body on their way to the ego and return vibrations 
from the ego pass through the mental body on their way to the physical 
brain, is perhaps the clearest and best of what knowledge w r e have of this 
so-called mental body. 

The mental body is the arch of the bridge which contacts the ego, as 
the astral arch contacts the physical body. However, it differs from the 
astral body in many ways, the most important being that as a man evolves. 
the astral body grows in degree of fineness. The mental body not only 
improves in fineness of particles but grows denser and larger. The mental 
body of an evolved man is far more easily discernible to the view of a 
clairvoyanl than the mental body of an unevolved man. It presents to 
the \ie\\ of a clairvoyant, a bright and softly luminous, golden light. 

The size and shape of the mental body are variable. They are al- 
tered by I he line of thought followed by the man. The mental body is the 
measure of a man's intelligence. An evolved man having a fine grained 
mental body would of necessity have a finegrained physical brain. A fine 
grained brain is usually indicated by the sparkle of the eye, the texture of 
t he skin, fineness ,,f the hair. 

Fineness of the mental body must not be confused with strength. 

A man may have a good well developed mental body yet lack the finer 
qualities of the higher evolved man. A merely strong man may make a 
first class soldier, statesman, financier, or a leader in any of the stern real- 
ities <>! physical life. The more highly evolved man manifests as theinu- 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 21 

sician, artist, poet and occultist. Between the highest evolved occultist 
and the lowest evolved savage, all mankind falls into line according to its 
stage of evolvement — each at all times being a law unto himself. 

If a crowd of people were observing an accident — say a child being 
mangled beneath the wheels of a street car — the mentalities of the various 
onlookers would vary as greatly as their physicals. A mother would think 
of her own children and sympathy for the mother of the victim would be 
her strong feeling. A physician would think of the extent and seriousness 
of the injuries and the probable chance of recovery. An inventor would 
think of a way to prevent such accidents in the future. Thus each one 
will think along the line that he is habitually following. 

Functioning imperfectly in the mental consciousness, the student will 
always bring through to the physical consciousness a memory of softly 
glowing indescribable colors. All space seems filled with the softly radiant 
many colored lights. Scenes appear indescribably gorgeous- — marble is 
of the whitest, flowers are of exquisite colors unknown to the physical eye. 
Everything appears to be of the very finest and most perfect material. 
Dilapidated buildings, dead trees, withered flowers, are nevertheless of 
wonderful color and form. Living forms lose their physical grossness and 
appear refined and radiant. 

An evolved clairvoyant, however, would be capable of seeing the in- 
habitants, both animate and inanimate. Minerals have scarcely per- 
ceptible mental bodies. Vegetable life has plainly discernible, and animal 
life has well defined mental bodies. 



CHAPTER VII 
MONAD 

The ego must not be confused with or mistaken for the spirit, which 
is the monad — the spark of the Logos, or fragment of the Divine. These 
fragments or sparks of the Logos are diffused or sent out by the Logos in 
response to the call of the law of evolution. Each one of these sparks or 
monads, or as they are called by occult poets, "fruit gatherers," is sep- 
arated from the Logos by His direction, to contact or pass through all 
possible experience^ of physical expression. 

The monad, however, does not acquire these experiences by direct 
contact. It remains apart and is but indirectly attached by means of the 
ego, to its body of physical evolution. When the period of evolution for 



22 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

this ego attains its end, the ego with its store of experiences gathered 
through many incarnations is absorbed into the monad which is in turn 
absorbed into its parent body — the Solar Logos. 



CHAPTER VIII 
EGO 

To nearly all inquirers and beginners, the ego persists in being the 
stumbling block in their path. This explanation may succeed in making 
the ego somewhat plainer and perhaps easier of comprehension. The ego 
is the human soul and must acquire the experience desired by the Logos. 
This experience is desired by the Solar Logos as part of His own evolution 
toward higher duties which He will in future assume. As we are part of 
Him it is our duty to evolve as rapidly as possible in order that we also 
shall by our efforts hasten the evolution of the Solar Logos. What destiny 
could be grander or more to be desired than to be part of an evolving 
Logos? 

Each monad is guided by the Planetary Logos, to a group of mineral 
lives, varying in number but slightly, and this difference in number is, so 
far as we know, of no consequence. Having been thus guided to a group of 
mineral lives, the monad establishes the rhythmic concord with them and 
thereafter the evolution of these mineral lives is assured. The rhythmic 
vibrations of the monad join the mineral lives and form what is known as 
the group soul. This group soul receives the experiences of the mineral 
lives. After innumerable mineral lives have enlarged and enriched the 
group soul it becomes sufficiently evolved to enter and function within 
the vegetable consciousness. 

The mineral group soul is then, according to its experiences, directed 
to ;iikI becomes l he group soul of a large number of plant lives of the lowest 
order. A process similar to the evolution of the mineral lives ensues, 
and i he group soul of the vegetable lives progresses from the lowliest forms 
of planl life, through thefinesl of wild vegetable life, into the lowest forms 
of animal life, thence by the evolution of the group soul, into individualiza- 
tion. This individualization means that after numberless experiences 
and contacts ;i single highly evolved animal has reached the point where it 
becomes B separate Soul and enters the human race, as a human ego. 

I In- ego \v;i- the group ^<>ul and when individualized and having entered 
the human consciousness forms in connection with the experiences of the 
human being, the human soul or ego. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 23 

The ego which has been for many millions of years slowly evolving 
from the different states of consciousness, beginning its course of evolution 
in the mineral consciousness, then evolving through the vegetable con- 
sciousness into the animal consciousness, at last (and here we take up the 
process in detail) evolves into the human consciousness. This is the part 
that directly concerns us in this treatise. 

When the ego leaves the animal consciousness and incarnates for the 
first time, it must, of necessity, inhabit a body of the lowest mentality, 
and thence by slow degrees evolve upward. The ego, receiving the human 
form for the first time, is naturally inefficient, and the mental processes 
are slow and halting. The result is that the newly evolved ego is below 
the normal, and the physical life is of short duration. 

The stay in the astral consciousness is also short, as there has been no 
opportunity for the acquirement of a well developed astral body. As a 
consequence disintegration is rapid, and the ego passes into the mental 
consciousness. Here the same process is repeated and the stay in what 
is known as the Heaven world, or mental consciousness — which is the bliss- 
ful dream state — is short. This state of consciousness is what is called 
Heaven by the orthodox of all creeds. After a short stay in the heaven 
state of consciousness, the ego is ready to reincarnate. 

The ego has developed an astral and mental body according to the ex- 
periences of its previous incarnations. As the ego, having worked up or 
assimilated the experiences of the previous incarnations, begins to manifest 
a desire to return to the physical consciousness, the karmic law of mentality 
begins to gather a mental body to suit the mental power which the ego 
had developed in the previous incarnation. This mental body will be 
suited to and capable of expressing the knowledge acquired in the previous 
life and will also have the capacity for receiving new and more complicated 
experiences. The mental body is, of course, composed largely of the 
coarser matter of the mental plane, and the astral body is selected and 
formed so as to correspond in quality and strength with the mental body. 
During this time the physical body, in accordance with the karmic 
law, has been selected, and its size, shape, and color, decided upon. The 
conduct of the physical body in the previous incarnation has governing 
power in the matter of the present body, as the physical body is formed or 
moulded directly after the pattern furnished by the karmic law. The 
pattern is formed of what is known as etheric matter. This is really 
material or physical matter, but of so fine a grade that it is imperceptible 
to the human senses although it requires but slight development of the 
power of clairvoyance to discern it. This etheric body is first formed by 



U OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

the karmic law. The sex and every particular of the physical body, even 
the most minute detail, is included in the pattern of etheric matter. The 
physical embryo grows within this elastic mould. 

When the hour of birth arrives, the ego is prepared to enter into the 
physical body which has been provided for it. Possession is usually ac- 
complished at the moment of birth. Sometimes the possession is delayed, 
and we have the peculiar phenomena of still birth, yet with the physical 
body alive, but no indication of consciousness. This peculiar state is 
caused by unwillingness of the ego to function in that particular body. 

After birth the body grows along the lines laid out for it by the 
etheric body, in conformity with the karmic law. Thus from life to life 
the ego proceeds, gathering the flowers and thorns of experiences and con- 
verting them into knowledge. This knowledge becomes both the spur and 
the check rein. The spur acts upon the higher faculties, enlarging and 
refining them. The check rein acts upon the lower faculties, holding them 
undei control and subordinating them to the higher faculties. 

Passing on upward, the ego leaves the lower races and evolves into 
the Aryan, or white race, which is the highest type of humanity upon this 
planet today. Having evolved into the Aryan race, the ego begins with the 
ignorant, superstitious man, and for a number of lives evolves slowly but 
none the less surely. Having passed through numberless repetitions of 
underfeeding and great weariness of its physical body, at last the ego 
evolves to the point where it begins to function in much more efficient 
mental, astral and physical vehicles. 

The ma tter of the mental and astral bodies becomes finer and more re- 
sponsive to the higher vibrations, the physical brain grows finer in texture, 
the nerves and arteries increase in number and size, the functions of the 
brain take on a higher rate of vibration, and the thoughts of the ego mani- 
fest through the physical brain with greater clearness and intensity. 
The selfish thoughts, so necessary in the earlier stages of evolution, begin 
to blend with the moral and altruistic thoughts of the higher evolution. 
Prom thai time on, the progress of the ego is much more rapid. 

Having passed through the lower stages of life, the ego now begins to 
manifest in t he higher walks of life, and evolves into the ranks of the leaders 
of humanity. This Brsl incarnation into the higher ranks is usually such 
as that of a physician. Then follows that of the inventor, the musician, 
the artist, the pod, and lastly the occultist. 

The ego, being the human soul enclosed in what is known as the Soul 
Body, receives and retains ;iil physical experiences. The ego does not 

COntad either the physical body or the physical brain, as it can not con- 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 25 

tact physical matter. As no physical body is or has ever been precisely 
the replica, duplicate, or counterpart of another physical body, and as 
there are not, nor ever have been, any two physical brains that func- 
tioned precisely alike, each ego will have different mental experiences to 
carry up with it into the monad. 

Having mentally received and stored away all of the possible ex- 
periences of the physical body during its many incarnations, and having 
reached the highest point of attainment possible upon this earth, the ego 
ceases to reincarnate, and prepares to ascend still higher. This being up 
into still higher planes than those of this earth, it is considered that in 
these higher states of consciousness, are those preparatory for the unfold- 
ment of the ego in order that it may function as a Planetary Logos. 



CHAPTER IX 
QUIET MEDITATION 

This is a most beautiful phase, one of the most helpful and elevating 
of the many phases of the mind. It is extremely helpful in cases of sick- 
ness, especially children, although peace and comfort can be brought to 
any one who is ill or suffering, if you practise quiet meditation properly. 
You must at all times remember that this phase is that of quiet medita- 
tion and not under any circumstances attempt to force or compel the 
patient to think just as you want him to, for quiet meditation is clear 
helpful thinking. 

Seek to understand the surrounding and attendant circumstances of 
the patient. Then having decided clearly just what form and intensity 
your mental help shall assume, see to it that both your patient and your- 
self assume easy, comfortable attitudes. Clear your mind of all thoughts 
save those of love and helpfulness. Now direct the thought to the specific 
point which you wish to reach. Be sure that you direct the thought to 
the affected place. Do not be afraid that the thought will not reach the 
patient's mind. It will quietly and gently enter the patient's mind and 
pass with its healing, quieting, soothing vibrations directly to the specific 
point to which it was directed, instead of beating upon the already over- 
burdened brain of the patient, as a commanding thought would do. 

When you have attained the desired strength and clearness of thought, 
hold it clearly from ten to thirty seconds for your first attempts. Increase 
the period of time as you grow proficient in the exercise of this phase, until 



26 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

you can hold the thought for at least one minute. Rest yourself for a 
short period, say from a few seconds to one minute, then repeat until you 
have attained the desired result. Be sure that your effort is one of quiet, 
gentle helpfulness, and soothing love. 

This phase is very helpful to the operator for his personal use, as you 
can treat yourself just as well as you can treat others. In treating your- 
self, first form the thought strongly, then become quietly passive and allow 
the healing thought to perform its mission. 

Do not be afraid to use such variations as may be suitable for your 
purpose, as each case may, and no doubt will, present different angles, 
and to attempt to use precisely the same method in each and every case 
is to court failure. 



CHAPTER X 
DIVINE MEDITATION 

Divine Meditation is the clarifying of the thinking principle until it 
is Spiritual Thought. Divine meditation is truly the glorious phase of 
mind, it being the one in touch with the Higher Self, and through the 
higher self, with the wondrous thrilling of the Over Soul. It is the most 
elevating and refining phase of the mind. To obtain the full beauty and 
feel the wondrous power of its blissful vibrations demands unselfish sacri- 
fice and holy love — the yielding of a soul unhampered by a single selfish 
thought. It is the yielding of a soul, in utter forgetfulness of self, into 
the marvelous harmony of the Divine Over Soul. 

The preparation for Divine meditation is long and arduous and should 
nol be undertaken until a fairly comprehensive knowledge of the power 
of the mind has been acquired, for the phases of concentration, medita- 
tion, and passivity, or partial relaxation are all employed in this inde- 
scribably blissful phase. 

Kindly remember if you try and fail, after following the directions 
given herein, that it is not my fault, but yours. 

No one w ho sat down before a steep ascent, and bewailed the fact that 
whoever built the path built it too steep for him, has ever yet sealed the 
mountain top. If you wish to practise Divine meditation, do it in the 
evening, between sunsel and dark. It is not advisable to practise Divine 
meditation during the day unless you have exceptional facilities for quie- 
tude, as quietude is absolutely necessary. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 27 

The reading of the poem "Abou Ben Adhem" by Leigh Hunt, will be 
found singularly helpful. 

Cultivate perception. Cultivate appreciation. Realize the Divine 
in everything and everybody, particularly the Divine within yourself. 

Pay close attention to the diet. Eat no me,at and but little heating or 
exciting condiments. Do not under any circumstances drink intoxicat- 
ing liquors nor, if you can prevent it, allow any on your premises, but eat 
sufficient plain food. If possible eat only sunlight foods, those that bear 
fruit above the ground, cereals and fruit, especially such as figs, grapes and 
honey, sunlight vegetables, milk and butter. Do not use coffee nor tea 
to excess. Eat sufficient food, for hunger is not a condition for spiritual 
progress. Remember that you can in all probability, reduce the amount of 
your daily food from ten to twenty per cent, without feeling hunger. This 
factor will adjust itself, however, as soon as you learn to discern hunger 
from appetite. 

Do not allow yourself to indulge in feelings of contempt or undue 
superiority. Envy and hatred are total bars to advancement. They are 
fetters which bind you to earth. Break them. It is better to practise 
this phase very early in the morning before arising. If you cannot practise 
before arising, arise early, seat yourself in a quiet cool place, wear only 
loose, comfortable clothing; begin with the practice of quiet meditation, 
then slow down the activities of the body, beginning with the breathing. 
Breathe slowly and gently and with the upper part of the lungs. By 
doing this, the activities of the body are greatly reduced and the activities 
of the lower functions of the brain quieted. Now slowly and without 
conscious strain or effort, direct the thought — the Spiritual thought, the 
thought of the union of your soul with the Divine Over Soul — upward and 
let it rise slowly and gradually. Do not under any circumstances, at- 
tempt to force or compel it to rise. 

For a long time there will be but slow progress. Although at first, 
one progresses at a very slow pace, progress is nevertheless progress. 
One will seem to rise and fall. He should persevere, for although at first 
the rising will be by almost imperceptible degrees, it will become steadier, 
higher and higher the thought will rise, the falls will become less frequent 
and the thought will then experience the most peculiar sensations. He 
will rise just so high, then there will be a feeling of blankness — a vague, 
bewildering feeling of indescribable longing, a fear that his thought has 
reached its zenith. Persevere with all the spiritual love of your soul. 
Do not become lax. Keep the goal in mind. In due time you will see, 
to your intense delight, that the hitherto empty blankness is gradually 



28 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

becoming suffused with radiant brilliancy and your spiritual thought will 
float upward upou the marvelously colored vibrations of this plane. Your 
very soul will seem to mingle its vibrations wdth those of the Divine Over 
Soul. 

This is the plane or region of soul vibrations, for the plane of the soul 
vibrations is the culmination of this phase, and tins phase, with its cul- 
mination of spiritual bliss, is that of the Ecstasy of the Saints. 

Do not expect too much at the beginning. It will be long before you 
can make appreciable progress, but every step forward upon the upward 
leading road will bring you nearer to that peace which passeth under- 
standing. Explanation: this phase is that which was practised by the 
Saints and the mystics of ancient Occultism. It is practised today by 
students of the Occult, under various names — Theosophists, Rosicrucians, 
etc. New Thought students usually term it "union wdth the Divine," 
or as "the touching of the Soul with the Over Soul." 



CHAPTER XI 
HEALING 

This is a phase of mind that is very attractive to a large number of 
people. Many, especially women, have this particular phase, which is 
divided into a number of sub-phases. Some heal by power of mental sug- 
gestion, some by laying on of hands, some by charms and incantations. 
Healing by means of unconscious suggestion is, of course, the oldest method 
of healing, having been used by thefirst mothers during illness of their off- 
spring. In this case it was an uncontrolled and undirected longing of the 
mother for the return of health to her child. 

Healing by charms and amulets would naturally follow, this being 
even a1 its best, but poorly directed suggestion. In some exceptional 
cases, where the medicine man possesses psychic power, he is able to use 
il although unintelligently, yet very frequently with good results. In 
natural sequence then, follow herbs and simples, sometimes used alone, 
and sometimes in connection with charms and incantations, from which 
has evolved Our presenl system of medicine. 

Then comes mental suggestion, which, as in the methods of the-mental 

cure ;iik1 faith healers, i.s in a large number of cases, fairly well directed. 

Tins ,. pure suggestion on the pari of the healer, and either receptivity or 
passiveness on the pari of the patient. Both parties in these cases are 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 29 

acting with a large degree of intelligent direction. The power of sugges- 
tion used intelligently can accomplish excellent results, but when directed 
by blind faith alone and received with naught but blind faith, the results 
are very often lamentable. Some healers who have a meager knowledge 
of anatomy and the symptoms of various diseases, are very successful, 
because they can form a fair diagnosis and thus direct the healing power 
to the affected parts. Some healers have but slight knowledge and their 
results are of the hit or miss kind. By far the greater number of so called 
healers work blindly, with the natural result. 

No one should attempt to practise healing without a fair knowledge 
of anatomy and psychology, for without this knowledge, clean, helpful 
work on the part of the healer is impossible. To achieve the best results — 
those results which are lasting and in no degree harmful — it is absolutely 
indispensable to have a thorough knowledge of Occult Psychology — that 
psychology which knows that, as expressed in the words of St. Paul, man 
is composed of body, soul and spirit, and that to heal the body, you must 
understand the mind. 

The operator must be calmly confident, with an earnest desire to he l lp 
and to relieve the sufferings of the patient. Do not be reluctant to ask 
for information regarding the location or nature of the pain or illness. If 
you will read the Christian scriptures carefully you will find that in all 
specific cases the name of the disease is given. Nothing was done blindly. 
The divine healers knew the nature and location of the illness and could, 
accordingly, direct the healing vibrations to the seat of the sickness and 
thus heal, "Go thou and do likewise." 



HEALING BY OCCULTISM 

This is usually defined as healing by will power. To the advanced 
Occultist, however, it is known as healing by vibration. As all Occultists 
know, the Great Law is that of rhythmic vibration. In healing by vibra- 
tion it is first necessary to locate the affected part and examine it for the 
trouble, then apply the necessary vibrations for the relief or cure. 

The soft, or internal organs, are far easier to treat than the bony or 
muscular parts of the body. The skin is particularly hard to affect, as it 
is almost entirely beyond control of the will, being but slightly responsive 
to the vibrations. 

Nearly all diseases can be controlled and many can be entirely elim- 
inated from the body by means of a suitable diet. However, as most 
ailments are trifled with, or ignored until the condition becomes acute, the 



30 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

use of medicine is at times imperative for instant relief, as it is an Occult 
law that a person must be in a receptive condition in order to receive the 
full effects of the vibrations. A person who is suffering intense pain cannot 
be in a properly receptive condition, and therefore the cross vibrations 
will affect and disturb the patient and prevent full relief. 

The ill effect of a cross current of vibration can be noticed whenever 
the healer lacks the power of clairvoyance. He is unable to understand 
the condition of the patient, and in his blind attempts he usually directs 
his efforts at the brain of the patient. This is wrong, because the brain of 
the patient is usually fully occupied by numerous other vibrations, and the 
constant battering at the consciousness of the unreceptive patient only 
retards relief and recovery. 

The first question in Occult healing is: what is the trouble? The 
second is: can the patient assume the receptive condition? The third is: 
will the patient try to obey instructions 5 All the conditions must be met 
in the affirmative before the desired results can be obtained. No instruc- 
tions for Occult healing can be given in detail as each case is a problem in 
itself, and each occultist a law unto himself. 



HEALING BY LAYING ON OF HANDS 

In healing by laying on of hands, try to secure the patient's confidence 
in the sincerity of your desire and effort to relieve him of his sufferings. See 
that the patient is in a comfortable position, one in which he can remain 
for some time after the treatment has been given. Have a basin of cool 
water, soap and towel at hand. Use the finger tips only, for the first 
strokes; stroke gently five or six times, beginning above the seat of the 
trouble, and drawing the fingers clear across the affected part. On the 
body and lower limbs, stroke towards the feet. On the arms, stroke 
towards the fingers. On the face, stroke towards the chin. On the fore- 
head, towards the back of the head. 

Always begin, if possible, above the affected place* and end below it. 
He sure In rover it all in stroking, and be sure that all finger tips touch 
the >kin. Keep constantly in mind the thought that you are helping the 
patient. Endeavor to visualize the cause of the illness or the affected 
organ or that pari <>f the body where the disease is located. Now visualize 
the affected pari as yielding to the treatment regaining health- as this 
v ill l»<> c.f LTc.it assistance in the treatment of the disease. 

Having stroked with the finger lips five or six times, bathe your hands 
in the cool water, dry them gently, but do not rub in drying them. After 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 31 

this, use the whole hands in making the strokes. Have the entire palm 
and fingers touch the skin. Should the patient desire it, a piece of cloth 
may be laid over the affected part. The cloth, however, should not be 
used dry, but dipped into warm water and wrung out nearly dry. If 
this is done, and the cloth is dipped and wrung repeatedly it will be almost 
as effective as if the hands were used upon the skin. After every five or 
six strokes, bathe the hands in the cool water. If the fingers grow numb 
or slick, use the soap and wash them thoroughly. Continue this until 
the patient has been relieved. 

In other systems of laying on of hands, the same practice should be 
followed, except that the movement of hands is abandoned. This absence 
of movement gives the faculties of the mind and will better opportunity 
for concentration. Right here a word of caution may not be amiss. Do 
not, if you can possibly avoid it, relax or cease your efforts while there is 
any degree of pain remaining, for frequently the pain will increase when 
the treatment is suspended, and may soon regain its full intensity. If you 
are compelled to cease the treatment before removing all pain you should 
use all your will power to prevent the pain from returning. Dismiss every- 
thing from your mind but an intense effort of the will and direct that to 
holding the pain in abeyance until you are prepared to renew treatment. 



VOODOOISM OR SORCERY 

Voodooism is sometimes auto-suggestion, sometimes hypnotic sug- 
gestion and sometimes actual hypnotism. 

Many people who are in good health and spirits, until they are told 
that they are hoodooed, at once begin to "go to pieces," and only the 
thought that a powerful hoodoo doctor can interpose his wonderful power 
in their behalf would afford them any relief. The auto-suggestion in their 
cases would work either way — for health or sickness. The voodoo doctor 
uses hypnotic suggestion. The writer has seen cases where actual hyp- 
notic trance was induced by the voodoo doctor. Cataleptic trance is 
sometimes employed but this is a rare occurrence. Some of these voodoo 
doctors have psychic power with good clairvoyant ability. This, of 
course, increases their influence and they become a veritable power in their 
neighborhood. 

Auto suggestion is applied to themselves by those patients whom 
their physician doses with bread pills or sweetened water. These people 
are usually laughed at as being victims of their imagination. This, how- 
ever, is a serious mistake as no one ever imagines he is sick. People who 



32 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

suffer this way will upon examination be found to be of the receptive tem- 
perament, and their recovery is not due to their faith in the medicine, but 
to their faith in the physician. To this, also, must be added the strong 
positive thought of the physician and relatives that in this case there is 
no illness. The writer has known cases where patients were to all appear- 
ances afflicted with the most painful headaches. As they would express 
it. it hurt them to think. Conversation was begun upon subjects in 
which they were deeply interested, and immediately the pain vanished. 
In some cases the pain reappeared when the interesting conversation 
ceased. In some cases it did not. 

The writer has a case in mind where a friend of his made his appear- 
ance, apparently suffering from an attack of fever, the bright eye, the 
hot, dry skin, the rapid pulse — all the symptoms of fever — were present. 
When the temperature was tested, to the bewilderment of the patient and 
his family it was found to be two degrees below normal. 



CHAPTER XII 
SLEEP 

To the thinker, sleep has been as great a mystery as death. 

To the average person who accepts sleep as something the Logos 
invented for the benefit of man, just as he accepts air, thirst, hunger and 
sunlight in the dull unthinking manner which distinguishes so called in- 
telligent mankind from the animal kind, sleep has never been a problem. 

Sleep has been the enigma of the scientists, and was, even before 
science was freed from the shackles of the religious bigots, who have always 
boastfully proclaimed that their ignorant belief was superior to intelligent 
investigation. 

Sleep has an intense fascination for the occultist. The occultist 
knows thai the investigations of the superphysical consciousness can be 
carried on only during sleep or normal relaxation, or by clairvoyance or 
abnormal relaxation. Sleep has baffled the ablest physical scientists, and 
will continue l<> do so. No scientific instrument can take the place of a 
faculty of the brain. Only through the clairvoyant faculties of the brain 

• •.-in the mystery of sleep be solved. 

Wh.it is the cause of sleep? What is the effect of sleep? The first 
cause of sleep i^ to us unknown. Whether the Logos in His wisdom 
decreed that nighl was the proper time for sleep, we do not know. We 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 33 

do know, however, that with the disappearance of the sun, the supply of 
prana decreases. We do know that the wakeful man will attract unto 
himself a greater supply of prana than the sleeping man. 

We do know that the nervous equilibrium cannot be maintained nor 
restored while the physical consciousness is existent. Take the activity 
of an arm for instance; if the activity is what would be called normal in 
any trade or profession, the nerve vibrations are slower and more regular 
than when the activity is abnormal. Slow rhythmic vibrations allow a 
more regular flow of prana, and thus maintain a stricter equilibrium, 
which, while vanishing, will disappear slowly, and steadily. An abnormal 
activity will cause increased nerve vibrations and blood flow and thereby 
interfere with the flow of prana. 

That the desire and will of the average'man cannot affect the flow of 
prana is evident to any one who has observed the average person at his 
daily tasks. As in the activity of the arm, so is the activity of the entire 
body, including the brain. Those people known as brain workers are in 
the same condition regarding their brain as the mechanic is as regards his 
arm. Brain workers are greatly overrated by pebple who make up the 
great mass of mankind. 

The brain worker is just as much the slave of his instructor as the 
tradesman. Practically all instructors are slave drivers. Many so called 
tej£hers_ do everything possible to discourage independent thought or 
investigation. Thus the vast majority of mankind is held fast in the 
shackles of the slave driver, so that any unusual activity of the brain is 
accompanied by a decrease in the flow of prana. On this account, with 
most people, an attempt to really think brings on an attack of what is 
correctly characterized as a brain storm. 

When the accustomed time for sleep approaches, the individual has 
usually performed or completed his daily tasks. The equilibrium of the 
morning has been greatly impaired, the entire bodily structure is tired and 
tense, and demands relaxation and rest. Naturally this can be per- 
manently secured only by sleeping, but it can also be partially achieved 
by other means which, however, are only temporary. 

Dancing to the rhythm of good music is, beyond a doubt, the best 
form of partial relaxation, if the musical throbs or pulses are not too fast, 
and the surroundings are good. The partial relaxation is of a very favor- 
able nature, provided that it is not overdone. People who yield them- 
selves to the rhythm of the dance are scarcely conscious of the physical 
effort that they are exerting, because in the rhythm cf the dance the flow 
of prana becomes equitable. Listening to music, if it is of a smooth, even. 



34 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

softly (lowing rhythm, will with most people, tend to equalize the flow of 
prana. However, martial as well as sorrowful or wailing music will retard 
the equalization of the flow of prana. 

When the day's duties are done, the strain of mind and body is prac- 
tically over. The intense vibrations cease almost entirely. The surplus sup- 
ply of prana remains dammed up in the body, for while prana is absorbed 
l>y the whole body, it cannot be expelled, because being the vital or nerve 
force, it must remain in the body and can only equalize its pressure when 
the inflow has ceased. This cessation is accomplished by relaxation. 
( Iheck the inflow or absorption and the stored up supply of prana gradually 
begins once 1 more to flow smoothly and evenly throughout the body. 

When the equilibrium is restored, the person has had sufficient rest 
or sleep and is in a condition to begin active life again. However, should 
the activity of one or more limbs have been excessive, these parts will 
require more rest than the remainder of the body, as the equilibrium has 
not yet been restored to them. 

Sleep is to some extent, a matter of habit. Of course, some sleep 
is absolutely necessary but the hours of slumber are not arbitrary. Some 
people sleep best in the early hours and some sleep best in the later hours 
of the eight. When the accustomed hour of slumber draws near, the 
physical body with its stored up surplus of prana, becomes gradually more 
inert. Resistance to the equalizing flow of prana becomes weaker as the 
body enters into the passive state, and the brain relaxes. With the re- 
laxing of the brain, comes the relaxation of the nervous and muscular 
systems. With the passing of the physical consciousness, the ego with its 
two attendant bodies, the astral, and the mental, withdraws from the 
physical body, and the physical body is asleep. 



CHAPTER XIII 
DREAMS 

Dream Stuff is just as real and tangible as any other. It is the fore- 
knowledge of what is going to happen or come to pass. This knowledge 
of future events is possessed by the ego. hut because of the unattuned 
physical brain, the ego is unable to tell the physical consciousness about 
it- The astral body, being attuned to the ego in a far greater degree than 
the physical body, is capable of receiving the message from the ego. ami 
endeavors in turn, to pass it on to the physical consciousness, which is 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 35 

always in touch with the physical world. It is only in sleep, which is 
normal relaxation, and even then it is only at the instant of awakening, 
that the astral can impose a small part of its information on the physical 
consciousness, and of this small part usually only a fragment remains a 
short time after awakening. 

Practically all scientists, having persistently denied the fact of the 
astral body are thereby compelled to fall back upon the physical entirely, 
and in order to support their theory, they have built a man of straw and 
call it the subconscious mind. Realizing that they know nothing of the 
conscious mind they proceed to invent another and name it the subcon- 
scious mind. Not only have these dream scientists wasted their labor, 
but they have deluded and misled those to whom the word scientist is, per 
se, an infallible fetich. 

The favorite string upon which our dream scientist plays is the sub- 
conscious mind. He admits that he does not know anything about the 
subconscious mind, and then asserts that dreams are the workings of the 
subconscious mind. How does he know this? He asserts one moment 
that the subconscious mind is the creator of dreams, and the next moment 
says that dreams are the result of the conscious mind at work upon or 
about something which the dreamer already knows all about. One mo- 
ment he assserts that a person can dream only of his hopes, fears and de- 
sires, such as his conscious mind only would deal with, then the next 
moment he claims that the subconscious mind (whatever that is), is doing 
the work. The explanation of the dream scientist resembles a feeble 
brain storm. 

Why do these dream scientists usually make it a point to go into a coal 
mine, whenever they begin their so-called investigations, and so-called 
they are; there is nothing of investigation about them, as everyone who 
has given the subject the slightest consideration has learned. 

There are no two dreams precisely alike. Therefore as such is the 
case, that wonderful subconscious mind is off somewhere doing some 
investigating upon its own hook. Otherwise it would stay continually 
on the job and invariably repeat itself, or else continually change itself 
entirely. The idea that these investigators convey is that the conscious 
mind — the awake mind — is not entirely unconscious, and that the thoughts 
of the previous day are still engaging the partially unconscious mind. 

What our dream scientists are incapable of comprehending is that 
a dream is usually a distorted vision of what is going to happen. The dis- 
tortion is invariably controlled by the likes and dislikes, the hopes and 
fears of the dreamer. Everv one who dreams, scientists included, can 



36 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

foretell happenings by cultivating the dream power, and especially the 
power of remembering dreams. 

Dreams are simply the result of what our ego is endeavoring to bring 
through to our dull physical consciousness. The ego then knowing what 
is to happen, sends his warnings to us. Unless we have the peculiar 
nervous system of the psychic, we cannot in our physical consciousness 
receive these communications. Thus the ego during the time the physical 
body is asleep and in a state of relaxation, is functioning in the conscious- 
ness of his subtler bodies, and as the sleeper is about to awaken, causes the 
re-connection of the subtler bodies with the physical. The instant the 
connection is complete the sleeper awakens. As the physical brain is the 
organ of the ego upon the physical plane, the communication is accom- 
plished while the astral and the physical are being reunited, and while the 
physical is thus regaining consciousness, we receive a knowledge of certain 
events which will happen in the future. The physical sounds, touches of 
clothing, furniture, or a bed fellow, are mingled with the drowsy conscious- 
ness of the awakening sleeper and thus are formed the peculiar fantastic 
dreams of the average person. 

All clairvoyants become clairvoyant by relaxation or the setting aside 
of the physical consciousness, which is the same as sleep. So a dream. 
any dream— all dreams — are nothing but clairvoyant experience. The 
remembrance of a dream, whether plain or confused, is purely and simply 
the remembrance of a clairvoyant experience. If dreams were nothing 
but the reflections of the workings of the conscious mind there could be 
nothing save thai with which the conscious mind was acquainted. On 
the contrary the history of dreams is an overwhelming mass of testimony 
in favor of a superconscious or superphysical mind literally foretelling 
or prophesying that which will come to pass. 

Usually, however, dreams are symbolical, and as no two people have 
the same character of dreams, nor the same type of symbols, no law may 
be laid down for the interpretation of dreams. Each person must be a law 
unto himself, 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 3 7 

CHAPTER XIV 
POWER OF THE MIND 

Otherwise known as 

MAGIC 

The power of the mind when working in harmony with the current 
of evolution and under favorable conditions is so great that it is not fully 
comprehended even by the most advanced occultists. The power of the 
mind, even when working contrary to the current of evolution, if other 
conditions are favorable, is so great as to be a source of wonder to all 
advanced occultists. The less advanced students of occultism, who having 
observed only one phase of this power and who have many fanciful ideas 
regarding it, speak in whispers and awe-struck tones of the wonderful 
power of black magic. In their ignorance they do not comprehend that 
the power or law, of "black" magic, and that of "white" magic, are the 
same. White magic is the power of the mind working for an unselfish 
purpose. Black magic is the power of the mind working for a selfish 
purpose. There is only one kind of white magic. There are two kinds 
of black magic, the real and the apparent. 

To unselfishly assist another to perform an unselfish action is white 
magic of the highest order. To selfishly assist another to perform a selfish 
action is black magic of the lowest order. To unselfishly assist a person to 
perform a selfish act for the purpose of evolution, is apparent black magic. 
This is a function of the Logos and can be comprehended only by the highly 
developed clairvoyant. 

No person who attempts to influence, or does succeed in influencing, 
persuading, or coercing another person, in order to assist him in accom- 
plishing an unselfish purpose, is practising white magic. No person who 
attempts to, or does succeed in influencing, persuading, or coercing, another 
person in order to assist in accomplishing a selfish purpose can rightfully 
be accused of practising black magic. 

Wars, disasters, apparent retrogression of nations, families and indi- 
viduals of the human race are usually attributed to the black magicians, by 
leaders of numerous cults. These statements are accepted and believed 
by their credulous followers. Those of higher evolution look on with pity. 
They well know that as the planetary Logos has absolute control of nations, 
families and individuals, no black magicians can alter or retard the re- 
sistless current of evolution, bearing upon its bosom all nations, great or 
small. 



38 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

Neither families nor individuals can be retarded in their evolution 
by black magic. The strongest efforts of so-called black magicians can 
only alter, and not retard, their evolution. 

Black magic in its true meaning is simply another name for selfishness. 
Black magic is therefore practised in varying degrees by every member of 
the human race. The degree depends upon the stage of evolution attained. 
All politicans, seekers after office or preferment, all priests and preachers, 
all business and professional men, are black magicians. All human beings 
on this planet are black magicians, according to their degree of evolution. 



CHAPTER XV 
THOUGHT 

Thought is caused by the view or the memory of the view, sound or 
the memory of the sound, touch or the memory of the touch, odor or the 
memory of the odor, taste or the memory of the taste. 

Practically all clearly defined thought is caused by sight or the mem- 
ory of what has been seen. As we think in pictures, if we have not seen 
an object, nor heard it described, no comparison can be made between the 
undescribed object and others that we have seen. We cannot form a 
thought form of it, nor about it that can be relied upon as being correct. 

A man who was born blind hears for the first time a strain of music. 
If there had never been described to him, musical instruments of any kind, 
the hearing of the strain of music would cause no thought of musical in- 
struments. He would associate it with anything but a musical instrument. 
He would associate the strain of music with some instrument capable of 
producing sound, which had been previously described to him. 

Suppose a man who had been born blind, deaf and without the sense 
of smell, taste or feeling, and the sense of hearing and feeling had suddenly 
been acquired by him. If the first sound he heard were a strain of music. 
there could be no thoughl nothing but an indefinable sensation. If a 
man were allowed to examine by his sense of touch, a musical instrument 
while il was being played, his brain would form a thought, which would 
he governed by the description which his sense of touch had com eyed to 
his brain. Any similar strain of music would cause a repetition of the 
original thoughl form. If the first instrumenl were a piano, and another 
strain were played upon a violin, there would be a confusion of thought 

rding both the strain of music and the instrument from which it was 
evoked. The same principle is true regarding the senses of taste and smell. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 39 



CHAPTER XVI 
THOUGHT FORMS 

These are the Bete Noir of clairvoyance. The partly developed 
clairvoyant will invariably accept the thought forms as the genuine astral. 
This is one of the main reasons why spiritualists are viewed with both 
trust and doubt by the great mass of people who have dealings with them 
as professional clairvoyants. The vibrations of the ego are the thoughts 
of the mental plane, the thought forms of the astral plane, and this in turn 
becomes the expression or repression of the physical plane. The phy- 
sical consciousness is capable of every form of physical vibration and 
contact. 

Thought effects are of two kinds : thought forms and thought vibra- 
tions. Thought forms are usually given the greater consideration in all 
literature pertaining to this subject. This is no doubt because thought 
forms are of a more visible, and thus of a more clearly understood nature, 
while vibrations are of exceeding rapidity, and are not so visible as the 
thought form. 

Thought forms are therefore, specific, while vibrations are general. 
A thought form usually has a definite objective or point of focus. The 
power and effectiveness of a thought form depend upon the intensity and 
clearness of the thought as it was formulated within the physical brain. 
This applies also to vibrations. Vibrations, however, have no especial 
direction, or focus, but spread out in all directions and have far less 
effect, and at a short distance, entirely vanish. This applies more particu- 
larly to those which are of the coarser or material thoughts. Spiritual 
vibrations have a far wider range and permanency. 

A thought form will go where it is directed. It will obey the will of 
its creator, and stay with its objective. However, it must be clearly 
understood, that even when it has reached its objective and performed 
its mission it is only a thought and not an action. Thought forms may 
be poured unceasingly at another for an indefinite length of time and be 
absorbed by the brain of the objective person, without bringing on the 
slightest responsive action. A thought form which does not coincide with 
either a desire or an aspiration can have no effect as a cause of action. 
The thought forms of a Watt, a Fulton, an Edison, or a Marconi would 
have no effect upon the rude, unlettered, uncouth savage of the 
African wilds, whose highest ambition is the gratification of his physical 
desires. 



40 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

CHAPTER XVII 
WILL POWER 

Will power, being an impersonal force wholly and solely mental, 
can be used only in mental efforts. Will power has no effect upon in- 
animate objects. All the will power on this planet, if gathered together, 
could not stop the pendulum of a clock, were it directed to that purpose, 
but a child two years old could by a slight effort of its infantile will power, 
stop the pendulum by the touch of its tiny finger. The closest observa- 
tion fails to show any clearly defined influence of will power upon such 
semi-animate objects as plants. Animals are susceptible in varying 
degrees, and human beings in much greater degree. 

Will power differs in the peculiar method of its manifestations. It 
manifests or functions according to the state of evolvement of the ego, and 
always with greater strength in support of the leading faculties. The 
American Indian manifests a high degree of will power in some ways. 
The white man, the negro, the Chinaman, all manifest will power strongly 
in some ways. 

The Indian manifests will power and concentration in a very high 
degree while waiting in ambush for his prey, enduring discomforts on the 
march and on the war path. He will concentrate upon any other subject 
than that of the discomforts, and by the use of will power, steadfastly 
refuse to allow the thought of the discomfort to enter his mind. 

Chinamen manifest will power and concentration under conditions 
requiring great endurance and also in a most remarkable degree, in working 
along mechanical lines. 

Negro psychology is peculiar in that he uses concentration to a great 
extent and will power to a small extent in his religion. He will concentrate 
upon religion for hours, declare with the utmost conviction, that he has 
attained morality and spirituality, and then on the way home from church 
will rob a chicken house. He will appropriate any thing thai presents an 
apparently easy opportunity and which does not involve too great a risk. 

The white man manifests less concentration but more will power in 
religious matters. This is noticeable as well in practically all walks of 
business and social life. Will power would seem to be the real deficiency 
in negro psychology. Broadly speaking, will power would manifest as 
;i whole, concentration as a specialty. 

To take ;i^ an example a single nation, will power will manifest in that 
nation very broadly in the direction of the leading or ruling desires or 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 41 

tendencies. The French, for instance, will use will power in the produc- 
tion and development of artistic articles or designs. Some individuals 
will concentrate upon certain effects in size, appearance or color. Thus 
we have the general and the specific artistic effects. 

Practically all people imagine they are will-'mg- — when in reality 
they are only thinking. 

Will is not a tangible thing. No one has ever seen will, nor has any 
one the slightest conception of its appearance. It can be used both for 
and against any and all things. It is absolutely impersonal and in- 
corporeal — immaterial. It is not a desire, nor an aspiration but works 
with or against either of them. It would seem to be a drawing, com- 
pelling force. It is unable to manifest, even in the slightest degree, 
the faculty of wisdom, but achieves its best results when under the control 
and guidance of wisdom. 

WISDOM 

Wisdom is an intangible thing. We can not see it. We can not 
feel it, nor can we describe it. Wisdom is undoubtedly the controlling, 
guiding power of the Universe. Under wisdom's guidance will and energy 
perform the wonders of the manifested universe. Energy would appear 
to be the manifest, with wisdom as the unmanifest. Man appears to ac- 
quire knowledge which seems to be a combination of will and energy. 
Even to the most advanced wisdom is incomprehensible. 



CHAPTER XVIII 
CLAIRVOYANCE 

Clairvoyance is an inherent faculty of the human race. There is 
nothing supernatural about it. There is not anything that is super- 
natural, everything is natural. Clairvoyance is a plain, simple, everyday 
faculty, Justus are the musical, artistic, mechanical, medical and financial 
faculties. 

Almost every one can drive a nail or saw a board, but some are remark- 
ably good nailers and sawyers. Every one likes music, but some are such 
wonderfully good producers of harmonious sounds that we term them 
musical geniuses. Remembering that all of these faculties are common 
faculties and inherent in the human race, we can see why an excessive 
development of any of them is regarded as genius. An excessive develop- 



lg OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

ment of psychic faculties produces clairvoyance. Clairvoyance is merely 
psychic genius. Like all genius it follows the trend or inclination of the 
secondary dominant, or next strongest portion of the brain. 

To illustrate: some inventors work wholly with farm machinery, some 
with railway, some with implements of war and some with decorative ma- 
chinery. Likewise with poets, painters and musicians, each follows the 
1 rend of the secondary dominant faculty. This is particularly noticeable 
in the case of professional mediums and public psychics. Some follow 
the trend of the domestic faculties — some the speculative, some the in- 
ventive, some the artistic — they each carry their predominant traits into 
their investigations. These peculiar trends are known and made use of 
by these psychics and are called phases of mediumship. Each medium will 
tell you that she is strongest in a certain phase. They all recognize that 
they are not of equal strength in all phases but are unable to give a lucid 
explanation why. 

All activities of the astral or mental planes will be colored by the 
powers and capabilities of the physical brain. For example: a highly 
moral poet, painter, musician or inventor would not deliberately function 
upon the lowest plane of the astral world, any more than he would upon 
the lowest plane of the physical world. 

Superphysical plane functioning — clairvoyance — is of verj T many 
grades or degrees, varying as much as the physical plane functioning. 
This is contrary to a widely accepted belief, which considers that every 
person who functions upon either the astral, or mental planes must see 
and hear precisely what every other clairvoyant sees and hears on these 
planes, but this is untrue. 

DEVELOPMENT OF CLAIRVOYANCE 

The student of occult psychology who wishes to develop clairvoyance 
must bear in mind that this faculty bestows such wonderful opportunity 
for evil as well as for good, that unless he can undertake the development 
of clairvoyance with a clean conscience and for the following reasons, he 
would better leave this Facultv undeveloped. It must not be undertaken 
lightly. 

Those who will not thoroughly subscribe to these reasons for develop- 
ment of clairvoyance, will please be kind enough to refrain from following 
i Ik 4 method prescribed in this treatise; and if they have read or been 
taughi any of the same methods of development by others, to at all times 

I b e those others the full credil for their development. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 43 

Proper reasons for the development of clairvoyance are: 

a. A sincere desire for personal enlightenment in order to understand 
and improve spiritual knowledge. 

b. To function upon the superphysical planes in order to explain to 
others just what these planes are and how they differ from the physical 
plane. 

c. To become conversant with conditions after death, in order to 
console the bereaved and explain to them where the loved ones are. 

d. Under no circumstances should money or valuable presents be 
accepted as payment for consoling information given to others to relieve 
or to lighten their burden of sorrow and woe. 

CLAIRVOYANCE AT WILL 

A SAFE METHOD OF DEVELOPING ASTRAL SIGHT 



FIRST STAGE 

One to Three Months 

Awaken in the morning about a half hour before the usual time for 
arising. Compose yourself as easily and quietly as possible. Lie on your 
back with the lower limbs straight, the arms either straight at the sides 
or the hands crossed upon the breast. Concentrate slowly and gently 
until the mind has been brought to bear upon a single thought — for ex- 
ample: the brotherhood of humanity, or some equally altruistic subject, 
the Fatherhood of God, or some other spiritual thought. Concentrate 
upon the selected subject from one to five minutes. If the concentration 
is faulty repeat the process until you can hold the same thought for at 
least one minute. Then relax the concentrative effort gently and gradu- 
ally. Do not allow yourself to think. You must compel the mind to 
submit to the will. Keeping in mind the same thought upon which you 
concentrated, relax slowly and gently until a state of passivity is obtained. 
Hold this state of passiveness as long as you can, but do not allow it to 
drift into the state of relaxation, for relaxation must be restricted in the 
early stages of development. Continue these exercises until you have 
become fairly proficient in them. 

Repeat the exercises in the evening just before retiring, with this differ- 
ence: sit quietly and comfortably at a table some inches lower than an 
ordinary table. If possible have one made with wooden pins and glue, 
using no metal if you can avoid it. Use a piece of smooth board for the 



U OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

top. Do not paint or varnish the table. A box from a grocery store, 
such as canned goods are packed in, will furnish the lumber for a table 
of this kind. A plain, simple, inexpensive table will answer the purpose 
equally as well as an expensive one. The top need not be more than 
twelve inches wide and eighteen inches long. 

Place your hands palms down upon the table. Have the light rather 
dim. Do not close your eyes. Concentrate as in the morning. Then let 
the concentrative effort disappear slowly. Do not relax, but become 
passive. Then allow any thought to drift through the mind. Hold none. 
Make no attempt to control or direct any thoughts. Let them drift. 

SECOND STAGE 

Two to Six Months 

Continue the morning concentration as before. Release the concen- 
trative effort very slowly, quietly and carefully until all concentrative 
effort has vanished. Then slowly and with extreme care, turn your sight 
inward — into your head. Now remember that it is not your physical 
but your mental sight that is used to examine the brain. Your first sight 
will be the brain en masse. Then in due time will appear the furrows and 
convolutions of the brain. When you have reached this stage, examine 
the brain very closely and you will be able to discern, very dimly at first, 
the flashing silver gray particles of coarser astral matter circulating rapidly 
through the physical brain. Continue these exercises until you can per- 
ceive and distinguish the finer from the coarser grades of astral matter. 
Do not compel, but allow the physical brain and skull to disappear en- 
tirely, and only the astral brain will remain in evidence. In coming back 
to the normal state after these exercises, come back slowly and quietly. 
Never come back hurriedly. 

For the evening exercises continue as before, except that on alternate 
evenings, allow partial relaxation, that is passiveness one evening and 
relaxation the next, and .so on. Remember that in partial relaxation the 
drifting of thought is slowed down and checked to a large extent. In this 
stage the light may be dimmed still more. 

THIRD STAGE 

Four Mouths to One Year 

This stage is a highly important one as it deals directly with the 
mental body, and successful clairvoyance depends entirely upon the ability 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 45 

of the student to control his mental body. Continue the exercises as 
directed for the Second Stage until you are able to discern very fine yellow 
particles moving through the silver shimmering of the astral matter. 
These yellow particles are mental matter. The first that you perceive will 
be the coarser particles of your mental body. Watch closely and when 
you are able to distinguish the finer grades of mental matter, allow the 
astral matter to disappear and only the mental matter of the brain to be 
in evidence. Then when you have secured good control of this stage, 
extend it. The average mental body extends from one to three feet be- 
yond the physical body. Now you must seek and define the limits of 
your mental body. This is important. Work steadily and carefully 
until you have definitely determined the limits of your mental body. 
Continue to do this until you have this phase well under control. 

The evening exercises will now begin to present a different phase — the 
phase wherein the temptation to push ahead recklessly may tempt the 
student — but he must restrain himselj and keep himself well under control. 
Read carefully and follow instructions as carefully as possible. Allow 
the relaxation to slowly and gradually become more and more pronounced. 
Gradually reduce the passive evenings until instead of being alternate 
evenings they become one passive evening to three relaxing evenings. 
Above all do not undertake these exercises if you feel at all envious, wor- 
ried or fretful and above all, if angry. Under no circumstances feel fear. 
If your dreams become very vivid or at the moment of awakening, visions 
appear, if you have premonitions, or hear indefinable rustlings, or faint 
whisperings, or feel touches of invisible hands, or see colored flashes, 
sometimes so vivid and prolonged as to resemble sunset scenes, these are 
the results of becoming en rapport with the vibrations of the higher planes. 

FOURTH STAGE 

This is the last stage of preparatory study. It is the simplest and 
easiest of them all, but the student must be very careful. Watch your 
steps. Hold yourself well in hand. Do not allow yourself to become 
impatient. Remember that you are working for the good of humanity 
and not for a selfish purpose. 

Immediately after awakening in the morning, concentrate for a few 
seconds upon that which you wish to see. Then allow the concentration 
to vanish slowly, and as it vanishes relax gently and quietly. Allow no 
thought to come in between the concentration and the relaxation, for 
if you do, the effort will be lost and you will be compelled to start anew. 



16 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

Now pay strict attention to this: to relax properly the mind must be blank. 
Do not attempt to force yourself. The development must come slowly 
and easily. Any attempt to develop clairvoyance in a swift and hurried 
manner will set your nervous system jangling and although you may 
develop the faculty, the bad results arising from an overtaxed nervous 
system may neutralize the good; for the nervous system forced suddenly 
out of its normal vibration will sometimes require many months for its 
readjustment, and this has often been known to bring other evils in its 
train. 

EVENING EXERCISES 

The light may be very dim or extinguished altogether. Sit com- 
fortably. Strive to have nothing but the best of thoughts while you ar- 
range for the sitting. Place your hands upon the table. Concentrate 
upon that which you wish to see. The instant that you have achieved 
perfect concentration, release the concentrative effort slowly, and relax 
gently and easily, making the relaxation follow so closely upon the dis- 
appearing concentration, that no thought can intervene between these two 
phases of mind. This is imperative for full success. A highly important 
point is that when you begin to see, let the scenes develop themselves — 
evolve, or unfold — before you. Under no circumstances attempt to guess 
what is coming. Wait until the entire scene, or view, or unfolding, has 
been presented to your super-physical vision. Do not attempt to force 
a repetition with such changes as you would desire, but bring it back to 
your physical consciousness precisely as it was seen by your super-physical 
vision. 



CHAPTEB XIX 

KARMA 

Karma is the law of compensation, or law of consequence, or law of 
cause and effect- the law of destiny, sometimes called fate, as it is the 
foundation upon which is built all progress or evolvemenl of the human 

lace. Apparently the law is in itself far more rigid in the earlier stages of 
evolution, for tin- man is then barely susceptible of self control and will 
give way to temptations of all kinds, and he must receive in kind in return 

for wh;it he has given out to others. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 47 

As he evolves and becomes a moral man his Karma becomes easier 
for him to bear. When he at last perceives that as he sows so must he 
reap, and awakens to the fact that he is making his own destiny by his 
actions, he will begin to exercise more and more control over his lower 
nature and begin to evolve and expand his higher nature. 

Practically all Karma is worked out in the same incarnation in which 
it is made. Very seldom is Karma carried over more than two incarna- 
tions. Were it otherwise, there would be but very little progress made 
by the ego. 

Occasionally we find a person who claims to believe that all Karma 
must be worked out with the person with whom it was made. Were such 
the case there would be no way of working out the endless chain of cause 
and effect. 

Karma may be divided into two kinds, active and passive. Active 
Karma is that with which we are directly concerned. Passive Karma is 
that with which we are indirectly concerned. Active Karma may be 
divided into two species — specific and general. Birth, marriage and death 
being the chief points of our existence, are specific Karma and cannot be 
altered. Other experiences where we are directly concerned, either as 
active participants or passive participants, are general Karma. Passive 
Karma may be defined as participating unknowingly in the active Karma 
of another. Thus a man may be driven in a carriage to his own wedding 
and may be the cause of frightening a horse which becomes unmanage- 
able, runs away and kills or injures another individual. The second in- 
dividual would be experiencing active Karma. The first individual would 
be experiencing passive Karma. 

Karma is national, tribal and domestic. National and tribal Karma 
are naturally of but weak potency. Domestic Karma is much more po- 
tent. The intellectual portion of Karma is the real compelling force, as all 
progress is naturally mental progress, for the great aim of our existence 
is wisdom. Only when we have acquired a certain amount of wisdom can 
we begin to comprehend the law of Karma. Having acquired a certain 
amount of wisdom we begin to understand ourselves and our Karma, 
and strive to improve both. 

Look your Karma squarely in the face and accept the unfortunate 
with the determination to pay your debt in full. Accept the fortunate with 
the determination to improve and render it of greater value to all man- 
kind. 



18 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 



CHAPTER XX 
PRENATAL INFLUENCE 

Transmission of knowledge, skill, mental impressions, etc., by im- 
pact. 

Of the cases cited as proof of the claim of prenatal influence, that of 
Napoleon Bonaparte is perhaps the most frequently quoted. The argu- 
ment is: the mother of Napoleon, some time before his birth, was engaged 
in assisting her husband in his part of the defence of Corsica against the 
French troops, and that Napoleon thereby acquired the knowledge of the 
art of war. 

Napoleon was just as great a statesman as he w y as a soldier. Why did 
not the mother evince the power of statesmanship? Napoleon was noted 
for his mechanical knowledge. Why did not the mother evince the me- 
chanical skill also? Napoleon was noted for his wonderful power of reading 
and judging men. Why did not the mother evince the same trait? 
Napoleon was noted for his gross physical habits and unrestrained sen- 
suality. Why did his mother not also evince these traits? 

Napoleon's mother evinced the highest sense of patriotism when she 
ventured into the arena of war, but Napoleon throughout his whole career 
did not at any time show the slightest degree of patriotism. Instead, he 
sneered at the land of his birth and called the inhabitants barbarians and 
fools. Nor did he ever manifest patriotism toward France. Instead, he 
sacrificed her to his own personal avarice and ambitions. If he inherited 
the art of war from his mother when and where did she ever manifest that 
knowledge? The island of Corsica had been for many years in a state of 
constant warfare. Why did not Madame Bonaparte become an Amazon 
before Napoleon was conceived? Why did not the other children who 
preceded Napoleon become world conquerors also? 

Zerah ( olburn is another to whom the advocates of prenatal influence 
often refer. It is claimed that Zerah Colburn, while in his mother's 
womb, acquired the art of lightning calculation because at that time 
I lie mother was puzzled as to the amount of cloth a certain quantity of 
yarn would yield, but she was undoubtedly a far superior mechanic than 
calculator, yet we find that he had neither taste nor inclination for 
mechanics. 

Prenatal influence in this sense docs not exist. 

There are thousands of cases on record where the mother became 
partly or wholly insane while pregnant. After the birth of the child the 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 49 

normal mental power of the mother returned. The children born to these 
mothers are usually normal. If prenatal influence were a fact, many of 
these children would be born insane. 

Out of a number of cases specially observed, in which prospective 
mothers were frightened by cattle, mad dogs, etc., in not a single instance 
were any of the children abnormal. 



CHAPTER XXI 
ENVIRONMENT 

Briefly stated, environment is one of the inducers of progress. No 
normal human being, be he slave or king, has ever been satisfied with his 
environment. He wishes to free himself from the fetters that bind him. 
Were man to be satisfied progress would cease. Dissatisfaction is the 
physical manifestation of the cosmic urge. 

We all envy the leader, and after a number of incarnations we occupy 
the same place as the former leader. There is always a leader in front of 
us who will cause us to become dissatisfied with ourselves and aspire to 
his position. 

We never envy those inferior to us in mentality, for notwithstanding 
the race for wealth and luxury, the man of intellect is the man who is really 
envied. Every mother is in her heart of hearts far more proud of her 
intellectual child than she is of her wealthy one. She is far more chagrined 
by her child's being defective mentally than by the thought that it was 
born poor. 

Practically every one can understand the workings of the business 
brain, but there are few who can comprehend the workings of the in- 
tellectual brain. Every financier sooner or later recognizes that while 
he can make money he cannot make himself a mental leader, hence the 
wild scramble in later years of a financier's life, to obtain the works or 
friendship of intellectual men, or even the poor satisfaction of donating 
money to pay for the intellectual and artistic efforts of those who were 
highly gifted. 

The mother in the slums dreams of the time when her beloved son will 
have acquired an education and will be exhibiting his mental prowess to an 
admiring world. The mother of the middle class, so called, and the 
mother of the wealthy class have precisely the same dreams. All environ- 
ment has but one urge or trend — mental development. 



50 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

CHAPTER XXII 
REINCARNATION 

Reincarnation is the law of evolution. Without reincarnation there 
could be no evolution of mankind. 

Reincarnation is the return of the ego or human soul to another 
physical body, the death of the previous physical body having first released 
the ego for a period of time. Reincarnation in conjunction with the law 
of cause and effect, usually called Karma or the law of compensation, is 
the law of human evolution. 

The ego reincarnates in a series of small cycles ranging from four to 
seven incarnations in each cycle, with alternating cycles. Being of itself 
sexless, the ego reincarnates as male and female in alternate cycles; for 
example we might say as the wife of a laborer for a cycle, then as a laborer 
for a cycle. They thus acquire the varied experiences of each sex for the 
corresponding cycles of the stage of evolution in which they are function- 
ing. This applies to all cycles and stages of evolution. 

An ego does not in any one incarnation function in all faculties that 
it has carried over from previous incarnations, but can and does blend the 
last stages of a past cycle with the first stages of a present cycle. As a 
frequent example of this blending, we see perhaps more noticeably, that of 
a man who having passed the artistic cycle is developing into the literary 
cycle. This man would not be a great artist himself, but would manifest 
as a critic of the artistic efforts of others. Having passed the artistic 
cycle and just entering the cycle of literature, he will very naturally turn 
his budding talents into that course with which he is most familiar and 
will blend the dominant faculties of the past with the budding faculties 
of the present. 

There are numberless volumes written on the subject of reincarnation. 
The reading of some of the standard works upon this subject is advised. 



CHAPTER XXIII 
BRINGING FACULTIES OVER 

Mac does aol reincarnate with the knowledge gained in previous in- 
carnations, IhiI willi the faculties capable of expressing and prepared to 

express Hie knowledge gained in previous incarnations. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 51 

The question most frequently asked on the subject of reincarnation 
is that concerning the progress made from life to life. The law of com- 
pensation, usually called the law of Karma, could just as well be called 
the law of progress, as that is what it really is. 

No man becomes noted as an occultist, poet, artist, musician, inventor, 
statesman, soldier or financier, by accident. Man does not jump from 
peasant to prince, from the ignorant laborer to the capable inventor, from 
the petty tradesman to the financial giant, from the man who does not 
know the difference between one tone of music and another, to a musical 
genius. A man who can scarcely distinguish one color from another, can 
not mount to the artistic genius, nor from the rude, unlettered man, to 
the poetic genius, nor from the ignorant fanatic to the occultist. 

Karma works according to law, not according to chance. No man 
who is a saint in one life, becomes a criminal in the next, nor does the 
criminal in one life become a saint in the next life. A man incarnating for 
the first time in any one race, would naturally incarnate in the lowest 
ranks and evolve to the highest. 

At all times since the beginning of humanity, there has been the con- 
stant struggle. The great mass moves slowly, but there are single egos, 
and groups of egos, who are in advance of the main body. This main 
body, or mass of average egos, is not a straight lined, well ordered body — 
as a body of well drilled soldiers — but a confused, shifting, constantly 
changing mass. Behind this great mass, there are also groups and single 
egos. These stragglers are those of later individualization. The indi- 
viduals and groups in advance are the leaders in thought and action. Far 
in front are the leaders of thought. After them comes the second class of 
thinkers and the leaders of action. Next come all grades of thinkers and 
men of action and those who combine thought with action. 



CHAPTER XXIV 
HYPNOTISM 

This is a very fascinating subject with nearly all beginners of psychic 
research. It is usually one of the first experiments tried in a class gathered 
for the study of psychic phenomena. A large number of the experiments 
which are reported to, and circulated among the friends and acquaintances 
of the students, as being of a most wonderful and startling nature, have 
but little basis of fact. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

There are numbers of people who have what is known as the power 
to hypnotize, and there is a large number of people who have the power 
to be hypnotized, but not every one has the power to hypnotize others, 
nor has every one the power to be hypnotized by another. 

The physical of a subject in the hands of an expert operator is in a state 
of semi-trance. Complete trance would make the brain irresponsive to 
any suggestion whatever. The hypnotic state ranges from the hypnotic 
sleep to the most violent activities of the physical body. 

The limitations of the hypnotic state are twofold: first and positive, 
the limitations of the subject's brain; second and negative, the limitations 
of the operator's brain. It has often been stated by students of occult 
lore, that an operator can compel the subject to do just what he, the opera- 
tor, would want the subject to do. This is wrong. The operator is 
limited by the subject's body and brain. The subject is not limited by 
the operatpr's brain. 

Take for example, an operator who knew nothing whatever of artistic 
matters, yet had an artistic genius for a subject. Can we suppose that it 
this inartistic operator ordered this artistic subject to paint a picture, 
that because of the fact that the operator was not a painter, the artistic 
genius would be unable to mix and apply the colors properly? 

An operator who is a fluent speaker cannot take a subject who is a 
stammering, uneducated boor, and make a fluent, polished speaker out 
of him, merely by commanding him to become such, nor when ordered 
to speak by a stammering operator will a polished, fluent subject be- 
come a stammerer and be unable to express himself upon the subject 
selected. 

No minor faculty of the subject's brain can be temporarily enlarged 
nor strengthened into a major faculty. An expert surgeon who is an expert 
hypnotic operator would not trust the scalpel to the hands of a most expert 
hypnotic subject who was without any knowledge of his own regarding the 
human anatomy, and would not order the subject, while the subject was 
under hypnotic control, to perform a particularly difficult and dangerous 
operation. An artistic genius who is also an expert hypnotist would not 
give into the hands of an expert hypnotic subject, a masterpiece nearly 
finished- one which a few false strokes of the brush would ruin. He would 
not trusl thai the releasing of the pressure on the weak, artistic faculties 
of the subject would enable a person totally ignorant of art, to finish the 
masterpiece. 

All faculties which the operator has in common with and in practically 
the same degree with the subject, are those which can be most strongly 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 53 

manifested by the subject. Major and minor faculties depend for their 
degree of manifestation, upon the subject, not the operator. 

What the operator does is to deaden the brain by the use of vibra- 
tory waves, or impacts. This cannot be done if there is active bodily 
resistance, but should the active resistance become spasmodic or periodic, 
a skillful operator can gain control by using the periods of lull or partial 
passivity, while the subject is preparing for a renewal of his efforts. A 
steady, determined mental resistance is almost impossible to overcome, 
even when it is unaccompanied by bodily resistance, but few, however, 
can force their minds to continue a steady, impassive resistance. 

The operator directs the vibrations in a steady constant stream, at the 
brain of the intended subject, and when there is a lull, or weakening of the 
resistance, the attacking waves speedily beat down the weakened defence 
of the subject and bring him under control. However, practically all 
operators find it necessary to use constant watchfulness in order to retain 
control over the subject. 

In ordinary cases, having obtained control of all the faculties of the 
subject's brain, the operator acts by releasing the pressure upon cer- 
tain faculties. Releasing the pressure upon the faculty of speech alone 
would cause stumbling, incoherent speech. Releasing the faculties of 
speech and calculation would cause the subject to literally talk in 
numbers. 

Thus will the different faculties of the brain become active or inactive 
because of the greater or lesser pressure of the vibratory waves. The 
large majority of operators usually learn by accident, that they have the 
faculty of directing the vibratory waves at the brain of another person. 
These vibratory waves are under control of the will. 

Very few operators, however, attempt to investigate the peculiar 
power that they possess. With some few the faculty increases with time, 
but most people become chary of the power and only use it in cases of 
emergency. W r ith the great majority the power decreases with age, and 
finally disappears altogether. Some, as time wears on, actually begin 
to disbelieve that they ever possessed the faculty. 



HYPNOTIC SLEEP 

Hypnotic sleep cannot be self induced. Relaxation, normal or ab- 
normal, can be self induced. 

Methods of hypnotism are so well known that it would be useless to 
give any directions. Every student of the occult is familiar with at least 



54 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

one system of procedure, and minor details are of little value as each one 
in this, as all other things, is a law unto himself. 

The practice of hypnotism is something which should be confined to 
reputable psychologists and physicians as the train of evils which follow 
in the wake of indiscriminate hypnotism is large. 



CHAPTER XXV 
MATERIALIZATION 

Materialization is a subject upon which there is such a vast diversity 
of opinion that it is almost impossible to obtain a clear or definite under- 
standing of what is meant by the term. The word, materialization 
is used so loosely that it covers everything from the astral to the 
physical. 

The proper meaning of the term materialization as used in spiritual- 
istic circles, implies a solid, or flesh and bone appearance of what was 
a disembodied astral, or spirit — which it is claimed took on a flesh and 
hone appearance for the express purpose of meeting relatives or friends 
who are still inhabitants of the physical plane. This materialization is 
supposed to be an exact replica of what the physical body was during its 
existence on earth. 

The law of the Logos is that the human body shall come upon this 
earth in one way, and one way only. This law is absolute. 

The explanation usually given by the believers in materialization, is 
thai certain friends of the medium, friends who are inhabitants of the 
antral plane, have in conjunct ion with the medium, the power of controlling 
certain vibrations. These vibrations are slowed down until they become 
physical matter, and as they begin to become physical matter, are directed 
to assume the figure which the medium desires to materialize. This being 
accomplished, the materialized form proceeds to recognize, speak to and 
clasp hands with, or otherwise touch, friends and relatives who recognize 
the form as that of their departed friend or relative. 

Any al tempi to explain to or reason with the believers in materializa- 
tion i- met with the statement, and it is a truthful statement, that they 
have seen these bodies and know it to be a fad. It is a waste of time to 
try t<' destroy their belief in materialization. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 5.5 

CHAPTER XXVI 
ETHEREALIZATION 

Etherealization is of far more frequent occurrence than the majority 
of students and investigators of occultism are aware. Etherealization is 
frequently confused with and considered as being materialization. They 
are not the same. Materialization except through conception and birth 
is an impossibility. Etherealization is not only possible but a very frequent 
occurrence. It is as its name implies, an appearance of a body formed of 
ether ic matter. 

Etheric matter is a very fine grade of physical matter. It might 
be termed the connecting link between the physical and astral planes. 
While not so fine as the matter of the astral plane, it is far too subtle 
to be seen by the ordinary physical eye even with the assistance of the 
most powerful optical instruments. What is known as nature spirits, 
fairies, brownies, elves and pixies are the chief contributing cause of ethe- 
realization- 

These entities — the fairies, brownies and the like, are members of an 
evolution of which we know nothing. We meet them on the astral plane 
only. Many theories have been advanced to account for their presence 
upon the astral plane, but we have learned nothing definite concerning 
their cycle of evolution. As we meet them only on the astral plane, that 
plane is evidently the only point of contact between the two cycles of 
evolution — theirs and ours. 

As no astral body can contact the physical consciousness, it is evident 
that no astral can accomplish the feat of etherealization. What occurs 
is that an astral medium with the assistance of the physical medium, en- 
lists the services of one or more nature spirits or fairies. These entities 
have, when acting in conjunction with the astral and physical mediums, the 
faculty or power of forming of the coarser matter of the astral plane and 
the finest matter of the etheric plane, a form of misty shadowy appear- 
ance. This form is invisible to ordinary physical sight. 

The patron at the seance sees it because of two main reasons; first, 
that the patron has good but undeveloped power of clairvoyance, and the 
surroundings being conducive to clairvoyance, he readily sees the etheric 
form. The other reason is that in addition the patron may have his un- 
used and dormant faculty of clairvoyance aroused by grief and love, and 
an intense desire to behold once more the form and features of the de- 
parted loved one. Thus stirred and stimulated, the dormant psychic 



56 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

powers become active, and the patron becomes temporarily clairvoyant 
and is enabled to see the etheric form. 

Unaware of the fact that they were temporarily clairvoyant, the 
patrons believe that w T hat they saw was a physical form — a material 
organism — and that they saw r it with their physical eye. As the nature 
spirit, because of advice and instructions from both the physical and astral 
medium, can shape the matter of the etheric plane around itself in the like- 
ness of the departed one, those present w T ho see the etheric form firmly be- 
lieve that they have seen the material form and features of the departed one. 

Temporary clairvoyance is also the cause and reason for ghosts, 
apparitions, hobgoblins and spooks. Some people who have the clair- 
voyant faculty large, behold the ghost or apparition of a loved one at the 
instant or a short time after the loved one has died or some serious acci- 
dent has happened to him. The intense thought at the moment of death 
or when a person is injured and is lapsing into unconsciousness, or stupor, 
reaches the loved one yet on the physical plane. The psychic faculty is 
excited, and temporary clairvoyance is manifested. That this is the case 
is evident from the fact that out of every one hundred accidental deaths, 
one will be revealed to some loved one. The reason that not more are 
revealed is that their clairvoyant faculty is very weak and also because 
of the fact that the physical plane person is so busily engaged in active 
mental work that he pays no heed to it whatever, just as a listless person or 
one who is too busy does not hear what others say to him in every-day life. 



CHAPTER XXVII 
OBSESSION 

The grade and varieties of obsession, so called, differ with each sub- 
ject. Nearly all writers upon occult subjects are very much confused in 
their statements. They group insanity, possession and influence, al- 
together, and call the combination obsession. For this reason obsession 
is a word thai occultists would do well to drop, as it is very misleading. 
It really expresses nothing to a careful investigator of occultism. 

What practically all writers on occult subjects mean when using the 
word obsession, IS partial, temporary influence. Sporadic obsession 

would be what is known as temporary aberration of mind, in its most 

virulent form. Constant obsession would mean incurable insanity and 
would not be obsession, but possession, as the influencing ego would have 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 51 

complete control of the brain of the subject. It would mean the complete 
subjection and enslavement of the subject's ego. That is occultly impos- 
sible, as no ego can be dispossessed of his physical brain and body, except 
by the natural means — death. 

Nearly all cases of insanity are caused by injury to the physical brain. 
It is usually a blood clot which obstructs the blood vessels and presses 
upon the delicate nerves which ramify through the brain. This prevents 
the ego from manifesting through the physical brain in the normal manner, 
just as the organist is prevented from manifesting through a clogged, dis- 
connected or defective pipe, or a piano with an injured string, hence the 
peculiar thoughts and actions of the afflicted person. 

Astral entities have nothing to do with this species of mental irrespon- 
sibility. A small blood clot may form in the brain and be a cause of 
dementia. It may increase in size and thus cause total insanity, or it 
may be absorbed and become almost harmless. A blow on the head may 
produce a slight inflammation which will persist for years as a slight local 
inflammation. Then perhaps an unknown cause may make the inflamma- 
tion increase or spread, and in a comparatively short space of time affect 
so great a portion of the brain as to produce total insanity. 

Epilepsy is considered by many as simply obsession, but in cases of 
genuine epilepsy there are but very few recoveries, as the stomach, heart 
and solar plexus are all affected, and with the ordinary means of treatment, 
there is but small hope of cure. 

Obsession, so called, can readily be removed from the subject, provided 
that the subject really desires the influence removed. A few assume a 
peculiar state of mind. They desire the influence removed, but are un- 
willing to assist in the process of removal. They wish to remove the effect 
without removing the cause. Practically all those who are subject to this 
influence are very desirous of freeing themselves from its distressing effect. 



CAUSES OF OBSESSION 

All persons who are subject to obsession are those of psychic tempera- 
ment. In all cases the influence is caused or induced by the practices or 
thoughts of the subject. 

Influencing of babes is a very rare occurrence and seldom of any 
length of duration. With children it is different. Until it reaches the 
age at which it begins to take up school work a common occurrence is for 
a psychic child to be a subject of influence. These influences are observed 
in the child who listens to the pleadings of his fairy playmates, and will 



58 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

disobey his parent or guardian in order to play or walk with the com- 
panionship of his fairy friends. Children who are subject to this influence 
will prefer to play or stroll by themselves. They are in most cases fond 
of quiet nooks and dells where trees, flowers and small streams or pools 
of clear water abound. 

In most cases, as the age of the child increases, the influence of the 
fairies decreases. Finally, with the entrance of the child into school, the 
enforced companionship of other children and the application of the mind 
to the purely physical functions of his studies, cause the withdrawal of 
the child from his former playmates. Thus usually all recollection of the 
fairies disappears with the advent of the duties and associations of in- 
creasing years. 

These psychic children being of a highly organized and fine-grained 
temperament are very susceptible to sudden attacks of nervous indigestion 
and restlessness, and as they usually term it ; have funny feelings. When 
one of these spells of psychic influence comes over a child, the diet should 
be reduced to the smallest amount of food possible. The child should be 
kept in bed if possible and its thought kept away from itself. Read and 
tell it funny stories. Keep it laughing a good portion of the time, and 
unless the psychic influence is of very unusual strength, the attack will 
speedily disappear. 

AYith persons over the age of fourteen, however, the influence is likely 
to be stronger and of longer duration. This is because the child has at- 
tained nearly all of his brain growth at that age and the settling process 
begins to take place. The faculties of practically the entire brain are 
functioning normally. Consequently psychic influences attain a strength 
and tenacity whereby they become far more difficult to remove. 

The causes of influence may be divided into two well defined classes- 
the unconscious and the conscious. The unconscious are of the kind al- 
ready mentioned in the case of fairies and psychic children. This also 
applies io sonic of the greatesl seers and clairvoyants of history. Sweden- 
borg, .loan of Arc, Andrew Jackson Davis. Madame Blavatsky and a host 
of others were all natural psychics and exercised their wonderful clair- 
voyant power without previous development, because of the psychic 
power broughl over from a previous incarnation. The second class are 
those who have not achieved the fullness of the psychic power in the 
previous incarnation, hut have brought over from the previous incarnation 
;i certain development of the psychic power together with the desire for 
further advancement. Consequently they cannot function independently 
;i> masters. Realizing this, they are prone to seek help from superphysical 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 50 

sources. This is where the danger exists. The psychic being unable to 
function independently, seeks help, and is always able to find it within 
the astral consciousness. Being unable, unguided, to select the proper 
assistance, he will accept such assistance as is offered, which is usually 
that which is known to occultists, as earth bound entities. 

These earth bound entities are those which were very strongly at- 
tached to the physical body and its appetites and desires, and they keep 
in close touch with those whose physical system affords the opportunities 
to get in touch once more with the physical consciousness. The psychic 
being unaware of the real character of the astral entity and usually having 
been informed that the most powerful or strongest influence is the one 
that he should have to help him, allows himself to become subject to in- 
fluences which fail to bring out the highest and best of the psychic. 

There are some ailments and diseases which are directly traceable to 
the influence of the astral entity. One of these is the dreaded writer's 
cramp, which so often affects those of psychic tendency, more especially 
those subjects who are engaged in pursuits where excessive use of pen or 
pencil is necessary. Use of the planchette or Ouija Board, and more 
especially automatic writing, are the causes of practically all cases of 
writer's cramp. In a large number of cases treated by the writer, the 
subjects at first have attempted to deny that they had ever worked with 
the planchette, or Ouija Board, or had allowed the use of their arm in 
automatic writing. In all cases, however, the subject was speedily con- 
vinced that psychic influence was the cause of his trouble, and admitted 
that he had practised these methods of communication with the inhabi- 
tants of the super physical states of consciousness. 

A fact which very few people realize is that the astral cannot directly 
contact the physical, but must have an intermediary body. This inter- 
mediary is the nature spirit, or fairy. These entities are the ones who 
control the arm in all cases of automatic writing and planchette or ouija 
board manifestations. As they can function upon the etheric plane they 
are thus able to establish contact with the undeveloped individual who is 
seeking information from astral friends or relatives. 

The fairy or nature spirit has formed a friendship with either the astral 
or the physical and is assisting to the best of its ability, its friends whether 
astral or physical. An intelligent fairy working in connection with an 
intelligent astral can accomplish very good contact with a physical psychic 
and can and frequently does impart very satisfactory knowledge from 
the astral entity. 

The nature spirit, as far as we know, has never had a physical body, 



60 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

and consequently cannot realize what it means to the physical person to 
have his arm or other parts of his body influenced by him. The pain or 
embarrassment of the physical person means nothing to the nature spirits, 
and as they are entirely independent of either the astral or physical body, 
they pay but little heed to either, and insist that the psychic shall at all 
times be subservient to them. 

A subject who wishes to develop the psychic faculty is ignorant of even 
the commonest or simplest laws of the astral consciousness. He is not 
aware that the inhabitant of the astral consciousness is the same men- 
tality as before death. The user of intoxicating liquors, the sensualist and 
the miser, constitute the trinity that most frequently influence the ignorant 
psychic. An earth bound astral entity easily recognizes those of psychic 
power and will at the first opportunity endeavor to function through the 
psychic person. 

The astral entities who on earth were drunkards or sensualists are the 
ones most to be feared by the seeker after psychic development. As 
drunkenness and sensuality are not of the physical body, but of the mental 
body, the influence is insidious and of slow development. With the in- 
crease of rapidity of the brain vibrations inherent with the development 
of the psychic faculties, the influence becomes more noticeable, and unless 
the psychic has good self control, the results are not, as a rule, gratifying. 

Nervous hysteria and nervous twitchings and jerkings of the limbs 
are also caused by astral influence. In writer's cramp the influence is 
sometimes so strong as to partially disable the .victim. The arm is in- 
variably entered by the influence, at the elbow, and the efferent nerves 
are taken possession of by the influencing entity. The thumb, the index 
and middle fingers are usually the ones most affected. 

Sometimes the wrist and in some cases the forearm from the elbow 
to the finger tips is affected with numbness and with a tingling sensation 
running along the entire nerve distribution. In very few cases is the 
entire arm affected. In a Large number of eases the influence gradually 
fades away and finally disappears, as the influencing entity, because of 
its progress, loses its desire for the physical contact. 

It' there is no one at hand, who is capable of removing the influence 
from the subject, a low non-stimulating diet, cheerful company and a 
determined and persistenl refusal on the part of the subject to submit will 
usually affed a cure in a short time. One thing, however, must be taken 
into consideration that the vibrations of tin 4 physical brain having been 

increased in rapidity, the subjeel is never the same person in either body 
or mind afterward. Literature dealing with the higher morality and 
Bpirituality should be read constantly. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 61 

CHAPTER XXVIII 
THE ASTRAL PLANE 

The subject of this lecture is the Astral or as Theosophists term it, the 
Emotional Plane, or body. Man's astral or emotional body which func- 
tions on the astral plane is the vehicle of his desires and emotions. The 
opinion held by the majority of people is that the physical man is wholly 
and solely concerned in the creation and consummation of these desires 
and emotions. However, such is not the case. The physical body is not 
the creator of these desires, but the agency through which these desires are 
satisfied. 

The astral plane is that which is constantly referred to as the plane 
of the Fourth Dimension. This fourth dimension theory is used by the 
scientists to account for the innumerable happenings for which they are 
unable to offer any reasonable explanation. 

The ordinary person refers to these happenings in the same manner. 
If there is an appearance of either etheric or astral forms they refer to them 
as ghosts or spooks. People of this class are usually those of meager 
training — those who have not yet evolved sufficiently to think or act 
independently, and therefore, are in word and thought, merely the replica 
of their teachers whose knowledge is no greater than their own. 

The astral plane is as purely physical as the every day physical world 
which is in evidence around us, in which we function throughout our brief 
span of physical life. 

The most powerful faculty of the brain in every human being — the 
faculty of functioning upon the astral plane — is inherent. It is a faculty, 
precisely the same- as other faculties, and depends for its manifestations, 
as do other faculties, upon the development of a certain portion of the 
brain. Upon the development of this faculty rests all power of achieve- 
ment, but the person who would unfold this faculty and bring it into 
use for the purpose of personal gain or any selfish purpose, would thus 
develop a Frankenstein, a force for evil which, if not held under control 
by the moral and spiritual power of the individual, will eventually prove 
a curse instead of a blessing, and the incarnation in which this takes place 
will leave its trace of a blighting hand upon more than one succeeding 
incarnation. 

Functioning upon the astral plane is most ardently desired by prac- 
tically all who become acquainted with the possibilities of astral sight, 
but relatively few have succeeded in attaining it. It is perhaps as well 



62 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

that this is so, for the ability to function upon the astral plane should be 
sought and cultivated only by those who possess a large endowment of 
this faculty, and these, only when the other faculties of the brain are 
powerful enough to support the explorer of the astral region. The facul- 
ties which should be strongest are those of independence and individuality, 
for blind faith or unquestioning veneration are as ropes of sand in times of 
astral storm and stress. The occult student must realize that those 
astrals of human origin are the same as he is — merely man, and unless 
he knows who and what these astrals are whom he will meet in his journey - 
ings on the astral plane he himself must be his own guide, his own man, and 
not slavishly yield himself to the whims and wishes of those whom he will 
meet. 

Occult students who wish to function upon the astral plane must learn 
first and most important of all, that the ordinary method of developing this 
faculty — submission — is the wrong method. The faculties of the higher 
or mental plane must be brought into action first. Only then is it safe 
for the ordinary occult student to journey forth upon the astral plane. 

Slowly gaining astral vision, the student wanders in a maze of strange 
scenes — scenes, compared to which his wildest and most fantastic dreams, 
are commonplace realities. Astrals approach — some walking, some drift- 
ing, some swiftly sailing, as it were. Astrals of trees, buildings, obstruc- 
tions of all kinds lcom up on every side. To see the astral entities 
interpenetrate or literally drift through those apparently solid obstruc- 
tions are experiences which the average student when he regains the physi- 
cal plane is half inclined to disbelieve ever having occurred. However, 
a> the ability of the student to function on the astral plane increases, these 
experiences become commonplace and natural. The student learns to 
speak, and is spoken to, recognizes friends and is recognized by them. He 
views happenings taking place far and near, for as there is no obstruc- 
tion to astral form, so there is no obstruction to astral sight. 

Space is perhaps one of the most sinking things the student of astral 
matter lias to consider. The clairvoyant can see as near or as far as he 
wishes. 

Sleep does not appear to be a requirement of the astral plane, nor 
is there any desire for it. 

Neither food nor drink is used, but the desire for it is prevalent up to 
certain sub-planes. 

Every existent physical form has its astral counterpart. 
Every oon-existenl or destroyed physical object has its complete pic- 
ture in the Akasic records. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 63 

Time, as we know it, is practically non-existent. 

Thought forms are very abundant, and it requires considerable practice 
to distinguish between a strong coherent thought form and some of the 
weaker astral bodies. 

The Aura, so called, has been the subject of much discussion and delu- 
sion. It is simply that part of the astral and mental bodies extending be- 
yond the physical body. When the astral body is the controlling element, 
whether permanent or temporary, the astral particles are seen to be in con- 
stant rapid motion, with a display of frequent flashes of color. With the 
mental body in control, the astral body is comparatively quiet, depending 
upon the line of thought that the mental body is pursuing. 

As to the relative value of the different schools or methods for the 
development of astral sight, these schools differ far more than is generally 
supposed. At least two of them proceed along rather indirect lines, and 
as a consequence the results are of weak uncertain quality. Their develop- 
ment as healers is nothing more nor less than a weak, uncertain effort to 
develop astral sight. Their weak, stumbling methods are the direct con- 
sequence of partial development. Other schools bend every energy 
toward the development of astral sight, and by their energy and determina- 
tion, succeed in developing astral sight in a few short months, whereas at 
least seventy five per cent of the sensitives should have had slew develop- 
ment and careful training. The use of rough and ready methods is re- 
sponsible for a large number of partially developed psychics who bring 
this faculty into disrepute. True occultism, however, differs radically 
from all other schools. The true occultist knows that the development of 
clairvoyance before the proper development of the higher faculties, is 
certain to produce results which are far from pleasant, both for the un- 
fortunate one and the friends and relatives — From lecture delivered at 
Dallas, Texas, November 1917. 



CHAPTER XXIX 
THE ASTRAL LIFE OF AN ADEPT 

The question as to the duration of the stay of the adept, or initiate 
upon the astral plane is constantly being asked. This question can be 
answered only in a general maimer. For the ordinary person, the length 
of stay on the astral plane is, roughly speaking, about one half the length of 
life upon the physical plane. In the case of an adept, or initiate, the 



64 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

length of stay is very much reduced, as but few of them desire a prolonged 
astral period. 

Highly evolved adepts can reincarnate almost at will, and as they 
seldom desire a rest period, they rarely enter the Heaven world, and even 
then only for a very short period of time. This seems incomprehensible 
to the average individual, but every highly evolved clairvoyant knows 
that it is a fact. The adept works constantly, whether upon the physical 
or the astral plane. 

OCCULTISTS AND MYSTICS 

The question is often asked: "^What is the difference between an oc- 
cultist and a mystic?" The question is natural, the answer is simple. 
The mystic is one who has not yet acquired the knowledge necessary 
for adeptship. The majority of poets are mystics. The large majority 
of writers upon occult subjects are mystics, and will shortly evolve into * 
occultism. 

DUAL PERSONALITY 

There are no dual individualities, neither are there dual personal- 
ties. Dual personalities are always one part fact and nine parts fiction. 
Practically all of the men who investigate the cases of so-called dual 
personalities are incompetent for this purpose, as they are almost entirely 
ignorant of what the mind is, and consequently bamboozled from start 
to finish. 

They are unaware of the fact that each man manifests himself as 
numerous manifestations of his one mind, and consequently we are not 
singular or dual but multiple. That all of us are positive and negative 
in the many faculties of the brain is so plainly evident, that it seems 
incredible that men, otherwise intelligent, would gravely assert that there 
are dual personalities. 

Every dancer can dance modestly or immodestly. Every writer can 
write with morality or with lewdness. Every painter can paint holy or 
obscene pictures. No one would assert that the (lancer, writer or artist 
i 1 - n dual personality, yet each one must undoubtedly have entered into the 
spirit of dance, w riling, or picture, in order to produce it. 

THERE [S \<> I. \\v OF OPPOSITES 

(Old and darkness are synonymous, and constitute the positive ele- 
ment. Lighl and heal are synonymous, and constitute the negative ele- 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 65 

ment. Darkness is the eternal, the omnipresent. Light is the localized, 
the created, the evanescent. 

Male and female are not opposites; so far from being opposites, they 
are identical in all save a small portion of the physical body. This small 
portion instead of being opposite, is complementary. 

COURAGE 

There is no such thing as instinctive fear. Fear is a positive function, 
Courage is a negative function. Courage negatives fear. Courage is a 
combination of numerous faculties of the brain. Parental, family, tribal 
or national love, in addition to pride and acquisition, are in most cases, 
the faculties which combine to form that which is called courage. 

PRANA 

Prana is the life force, nerve force, or as it is sometimes called, 
vital force. Just what it is we do not know, but it comes to us from 
the sun, and can be seen as bright, golden-colored vibrations — soft, 
yet radiant. It resembles to some extent the golden matter of the mental 
plane. Its special organ of absorption is the etheric spleen, but it is ab- 
sorbed to some extent, by the entire etheric body. Its special organ of 
distribution in the physical body is the solar plexus, and it is distributed 
through the entire physical body by means of the sympathetic or vaso 
motor nerves. The solar plexus is the first organ of the body to evince 
symptoms of disease, and is the one that should be examined by the clair- 
voyant who wishes to heal properly. 

ASTROLOGY 

Astrology is a beautiful and most fascinating study, but at present 
it cannot be termed a science, as it is of too diffuse and general a character. 
All religions are to some extent based upon astrology, as the symbolisms 
of all religions indicate. 

PHRENOLOGY 

Phrenology is an exact science, but as in the case of most sciences, it is 
of a negative character; that is, it tells only what the faculties of the brain 
can do but does not tell what the person will do. However, it is infallible 
in indicating precisely what the faculties of the brain are. Studied in con- 



6(5 OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 

nection with its handmaid' — physiognomy — it is of the highest importance 
in the training and education of the young. It should be studied and 
practised by all who have jurisdiction over the young, as the brain is the 
organ of the mind. Anything that indicates the faculties of the brain 
should be utilized. 

PALMISTRY 

Palmistry is unquestionably the most useful and at the same time 
the least understood of the occult sciences. To a thorough student of 
palmistry, the subject is as an open book, and can be read with marvelous 
accuracy, surpassing phrenology, because it tells not only what the sub- 
ject can do, but also what he will do. It far surpasses astrology, which is 
at its best, but general, while palmistry is specific, and when used by a 
master, is infallible. 

APPENDIX 

Evolution is a slow continuous process. Those whose achievements 
have been greater by reason of their advancement beyond the average, are 
usually termed "Old Souls," not because of their greater age, but because 
of their greater knowledge, for there can be no progress without knowledge. 
By knowledge is not meant mere belief, for that is a condition denoting 
lack of knowledge, but the actual knowledge gained by the individual, 
from functioning within the superphysical states of consciousness. 

Aspirants for Illumination are those who have evolved far beyond the 
average or mass of mankind. They are the advanced souls who have 
strength to stand alone, and who wish knowledge in order that they may 
assist the evolution of the rest of mankind. They arc those who realize 
that knowledge is the way of evolution. They are those who have at- 
tained the clearness of vision so necessary for the step which will place 
them iu the van of evolving humanity. 

The qualifications for the aspirant are not many, but few are willing 
lo take the step which will change the unreal into the real. Many would 
rather cling last to the darkness of ignorant belief than accept the bright 
lighl of knowledge. 

An aspirant must be one who strives to place self to the rear, who will 
endure the scoffings, scoldings and eludings of others and the ill-concealed 
wonder and contempt of friends and acquaintances who have not yet found 
I lie straighl ami narrow path. An aspirant must be one of those who has 
evolved beyond the vanity of personal adornment, the mad desire for 
wealth, and beyond sex desire lor the gratification of passion. 



OCCULT PSYCHOLOGY 6? 

Love for humanity is the key tone of an aspirant for Illumination. 
That is the step which marks the evolved soul as a willing and competent 
pupil of the higher intelligences. An Illuminant is an evolved soul who 
through the teachings of an Adept has acquired the knowledge that is 
necessary in order for him to be received as a pupil by the Hierarchy, 
This knowledge cannot be imparted by books. It must be acquired by 
actual, direct personal teachings. After the Illuminant has been ac- 
cepted by the Hierarchs as a pupil, he must progress even faster than 
before. Greater knowledge and more power are slowly but surely ac- 
quired by him as long as he continues to serve the cause of humanity. 
As the Illuminant progresses further he becomes an Initiate or Adept. 

As he advances he will find that the Path, the straight and narrow 
way, at times will seem unending. The stones will seem sharp, but with 
perseverance and a heart devoted to the cause of humanity he will reach 
a point where straight ahead he can see the beautiful gleaming of the first 
diamond — the first Initiation. When he has reached that point, he has 
been accepted by the Hierarchs as one of their teachers, and becomes an 
Initiate or Adept. 

If the Illumination is acquired rather early in life and the Illuminant 
proves himself worthy, the first Initiation is given in the same incarnation. 
The second Initiation is far more difficult to gain. The third, fourth and 
fifth are correspondingly hard to attain as the requirements increase in 
proportion to the degrees of Initiations taken. The knowledge and power 
of the Initiate increase as his number of Initiations grows. These powers 
are scarcely dreamed of by the unevolved. 

Practically all Adepts work in secret with a small number of pupils 
who have been either selected by them or directed to them by the Hie- 
rarchs. When the pupil is ready, the master is there. After the Initiate 
has taken five degrees he becomes a Great Initiate and has acquired vast 
knowledge and obtained marvelous power. 

This path is open to all who wish to tread thereon and nothing is re- 
quired of the aspirant but a desire for knowledge which will be used solely 
to help mankind evolve. 



BUCHANAN a CO. 

PRINTERS 

BOSTON. MASS- 



H 36 82 




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